Alone
by Lucky Blackhart
Summary: Nessie & Jacob are living in a house in MA, when a "fan" of Nessie develops into a sort of stalker. Where will this take them, and how will it all effect Jacob?
1. Chapter 1

I was practically buzzing as we drove onto the street. Jacob chuckled as we approached and the pressure I was applying to his hand increased. My dad eyed us in the rear-view mirror skeptically. I stuck my tongue out at him and looked around. Living in Massachusetts would be so much fun!

We got out of the car, and my dad gave me the keys to my Mustang. He Pulled me away from Jacob and pulled me into a hug.

"Jeez dad, we're barely out of the car yet," I said, hugging him back. He kissed my forehead.

"Quiet you. Now, here, new phone," he said, passing me a flip-texting phone.

"I really don't need a new phone. Mine works just fine," I told him, pulling out my current one, only really about a year old.

"Nope, I insist. And here are the key's to the house, and Jacob, an extra key to the Mustang," he said, handing us each and envelope. Then he took a step back as my mom gave me a hug, and a kiss on the cheek.

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay on the continent? We could always go to Europe another time…I'm really not comfortable leaving you…"

"No Mom, go. Have fun -- a month, a year whatever, we'll be fine," I said, wrapping myself around Jacob's arm, and looked at her.

"About that. You two -- you can't…Just don't…No sex got it?"

"DAD!" I said, blushing like mad.

"I don't care about anything else, but just, please, spare me. I know, you're in the same house, alone, and you have separate rooms (although one probably won't get used often) just…you get it," he said, pointing at me, then Jacob, then back to me, before putting his hand down, and nodding.

"Dad, I think you know Jacob a little better than that," I told him, kissing Jake's cheek. My dad looked at us, almost like a glare, then turned away and got in the car with Emmet, who was behind our car in his Jeep. I felt my mom hug me again, blocking just our thoughts.

"But just in case you decide not to listen to him…check the bottom of the box of pictures when you were little in the back of the closet. I don't care -- its not like you'd be doing that with anyone else, and I trust him," she said, in my ear, so fast that only I could hear it. I felt blood run into my cheeks, then I had to block my thoughts myself as she pulled away and winked at me. My dad shot her a look, and she shrugged, blowing him a kiss. "I love you guys, okay? Call us if you need us, we'll be just a plane ride away."

"Love you, too, mom. Bye! Have fun, and bring me back something cute!" I said as she got into the car. Uncle Emmet waved to me like a goof, and did a K-turn out of the spot he was in and left.

"You're awfully quiet," I said, throwing my purse over my shoulder, and taking him by the hand.

"Eh…," he said, and just looked ahead.

"What's the matter with you?" I asked.

"I've never been out of the Pacific Northwest before. I'm just getting used to it. I worried about my dad, and my family -- and Rebecca is due any day now," he said, running a hand through his hair. I knew he was stressed about leaving. Rebecca had lost a child at about 6 months pregnant before, and everyone was really on edge this time about keeping her off her feet, and giving her everything she craved.

"She'll be fine, Jacob. She's got the entire pack there, and Charlie & Sue. And your dad is good. My grandparents will be home if her needs them, for him or Rebecca or anything. Everything will be okay," I told him, wrapping my arms around his chest.

"You're right, but I'm still worried. Rebecca couldn't handle it if she lost another kid," he told me, dropping his hands down to my waist and entwining his hands behind my back. I stood up on my toes and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"I'm worried about her too, but she's far enough along that if she went into labor, they'd both be okay. And my grandpa is there for her," I said, unwrapping myself from him. "Let's change this gloom and doom attitude. We're all unpacked, so after we get inside, let's go have dinner somewhere, and go home…watch a movie?"

"Whatever you want, Nessie," he said, taking my hand and leading me into our new house. I transferred my phone numbers to my new phone while I waited for Jake to change out of his "plane clothes" that he claimed smelled like airplane.

We went into town and ate at a little friendly diner. I could tell that seeing all the little kids there, coloring and laughing made Jacob kind of on edge. Rebecca had lost the little boy about two years ago after having a hard time getting pregnant. Jacob loved both of his sisters and hated seeing Becca so distraught like that. She locked herself up in her room all day, barely ate, and cried all day. She only let Rachel in, not even her husband or Jacob or Billy.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?" I said, putting my menu down on the table.

"No, I'm fine," he said bluntly, reading the menu with such a ferocity you would think it had bitten him.

I was a little taken aback by his attitude. He had been in kind of a funk all day. I reached across the table and pressed my hand to his cheek, showing him to first time we kissed, the day before my 13th birthday, four years ago -- what an awkward moment that had been. I could see his eyes get softer as he read and he looked up to me and smiled.

_My parents had just left for the weekend, and everyone was out, doing their own thing. I was alone at home, sitting on the couch reading with the news on in the background. I heard the front door click open and a familiar scent hit my nose. Jacob, and flowers. He always brought wildflowers when he came to see me, which was everyday but that's besides the point. He came in an sat down next to me, making the couch shake, and I dropped my book, losing my place._

"_Good job, Jake," I joked with him as I leaned down to pick it up and continue reading. _

_We went in for it at the same time, and knocked heads. I ended up on the floor. Jacob was sitting on the couch, chuckling as he pulled me up with one hand, and my book with his other. I sat down close to him and put my book next to me._

"_You not gonna read anymore?" he asked, confused._

"_I can't see straight because of your hard head. I just want to regain some brain cells before I try to do anything else," I said, smiling at him. He pouted and I patted him on the head. "Oh, did I hurt your ego? Don't worry you'll live."_

"_That's it," he said, and he threw me down onto the couch and started tickling my sides. I was laughing so hard it was difficult to breathe. Only he could tickle me and get away with his arms intact. We knew we were meant for each other, but my family still thought we were too young for anything…and I was, only almost thirteen at the time. Sure, I looked seventeen (I had stopped aging a while ago), but I wasn't. _

"_Stop! You're going to suffocate me!" I giggle, swatting at his hands. _

"_Don't worry, you'll live," he said, and laughed._

"_Hey! Sto…Knock it off! Come on! I'm sorry, I won't say that again," I yelled with amusement in my voice. He didn't stop though. I didn't know how else to get his attention, so I just reached up and pulled his head down to mine, and kissed him. Sure enough, that distracted him long enough for me to escape, and run across the room, only to hide behind the couch._

"_No more tickling," was all I could say, as I looked at him, everything but my nose up, hidden by the couch._

"_No more tickling," he repeated, standing and walking over to where I was. "Nope. No more tickling." He pulled my to a standing position and kissed me again. This time, I actually realized what was going on, and I almost fainted. He held me up, and pulled me into a very warm and tight hug. I had the dumbest looking grin on my face when he pulled away from me._

"_No more tickling?" I asked, in a squeak Jacob laughed._

"_No more," he said, chuckling._

"What can I get for ya?" The waitress interrupted our private little show and we both snapped out of it and looked up at her. Jake looked at me and smiled.

"You go first, I'm still looking," he said.

"Uhm…okay. Can I have…Clam chowder?"

"Bowl?" I nodded to the waitress. "Anything else?"

"Sure, a grilled chicken sandwich with ranch dressing on the side?" She nodded, writing down my order.

"Oh, you know what, that sounds good. Two of that order please?" Jake said. The waitress smiled, and made a little note on her paper, and walked away. The kids at the table in the corner were making noise again, playing with each other and laughing loudly. They were the only other people in the room. The mother looked at me apologetically.

"Sorry, we're having a sleepover tonight. They're just excited," she said.

"Don't worry about it," I answered. I looked to Jacob, who was on his phone now.

"I knew it. I knew something was up. I had a feeling…No, we just got here like, two hours ago. Just hold her hand for me, Dan. And send pictures, and tell her I love her," he said. I cocked my head to one side. "Rebecca."

"Oh, is she okay?" I asked.

"She's fine, so far. But apparently, she's having twins. Carlisle's there with her, and Dan is too, but Carlisle said he looked about to faint," Jacob said with a smile.

"Twins? How could the doctor have missed that for 7 months?" I asked.

"Because he's not your family. He can't hear the separate heartbeats. Plus, she's only known for 4 months anyway. How she missed that is beyond me, but whatever. Esme's there too, helping I guess. I wish your grandparents had been her doctors instead, I trust them much more…" he trailed off. I smiled at him.

"You're gonna be an uncle. Twice," I said to him. He smiled at me. "You want to get everything to go, so you can go home and be on the phone with someone?"

"Yes, let me go pay, you go tell the waitress," he said, springing up out of his seat.

I got up, and waved to all the little kids and the mother and walked up to the kitchen door, peaking in the window, and catching the attention of our waitress.

"Your order should be out in a sec, chef's just finishing them up now," she told me.

"Actually, can we have them wrapped up? My boyfriend's sister just went into labor and he wants to go home so he can be on the phone with her husband," I said.

"Oh, sure. Of course. They'll be out in a minute if you want to wait by the counter," she said smiling.

"Sorry about that," I said.

"Don't worry about it, honey."

I walked out to the register on the counter where Jacob was standing, with his hands nervously shoved into his coat pockets.

"Go start the car. I'll get the food and be out in a minute," I told him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Dinner was a little cold when we got home so I popped them both in the toaster oven, and turned on the tv, very low while Jake was on the phone. It was around 8:30 now, and we both sat on the couch, eating our dinner over the coffee table in the living room. It was 14 long hours before there was a cry in the background, followed by two smaller voices making the same noise. Jacob was smiling, ear to ear, just completely elated. Gradma sent two pictures of them to my new phone, and I handed it over two Jacob. One was of both of them, Kayla and Eric, in the little cart thing, and the other was of Rebecca with her two babies, smiling a very tired but happy smile. It was another two hours that Jake and Rebecca's husband Dan were on the phone, then they said their goodbyes and hung up.

"Did you tell Esme to give her the baby shower gift we got for her? She might need it. I mean, we only thought to get her one of everything but she can take my old crib too, if she needs it," I said, standing and stretching. It was light outside, and despite how much I longed to go explore our new town, I needed my sleep.

"Yeah, Carlisle said he would bring over a bunch of baby stuff, that way its all set up for them when they get home," he said, standing too, and taking my hand.

"Do you want me to make you something, before I got to sleep?" I asked him as he looked to the kitchen.

"No, I can fend for myself. You go to sleep, I'll be up in a little while," he said. I kissed his cheek and walked out into the hallway.

"Night…uh…Morning Uncle Jacob!" I called to him as I went up the stairs. I changed into sweats and promptly fell asleep. About two hours later, I felt the mattress shift, and heat flooded the bed, which was actually his, but I didn't care. I rolled over and snuggled into Jacob's chest.

"You have your own bed you know…" he said, kissing the top of my head, and pulling me to his chest.

"But it's warmer here," I told him.

"I love you, Nessie," he said in a whisper.

"Mm. I love you, too," I said as I fell asleep.

*JPOV*

I felt her fall asleep in my arms and her heartbeat and breathing evened out. I was too excited to sleep, but too tired to stay up, so I just laid there and thought about everything. I wanted what my sister had -- a family of her own. I wanted to marry my Nessie, and have children, and travel the world with her and live together for the rest of eternity. I had always wanted that…well, since she was fully matured, anyway. Although, I love that we can be together without really…you get it….I just wanted us to have a completely full relationship, when she was ready for it of course.

Her dad was the one completely object to that though. He wanted his little girl to do everything she ever wanted to without the burden of me, or kids. He knew that I loved her, he'd told me, but he also knew that he didn't want her to run off and get married, and end up stuck with me before she wanted to be. Edward always wanted people to live their lives to the fullest. And I wasn't exactly sure he'd be thrilled if I knocked his baby up for she went to college or before we were married for that matter. I understood though, Nessie was the only chance he would ever get at giving life back, besides her being his only child for the rest of eternity, and he only wanted the best for her.

"Someday," I muttered into her hair, as I drifted off.

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I woke up the next day, I had practically slept for a day - maybe 18 hours. She wasn't there. My arms felt empty, but I smiled when I smelled bacon. I looked to the clock next to my bed. 7:30 in the morning. I had a niece and a nephew, and I lived with the love of my life in Massachusetts, and she was making me breakfast. I stood up, and grabbed a plain white t-shirt, and tried to pull it on as I walked down stairs.

"Morning, love," she said as I walked into the kitchen, still struggling to put my shirt on. I finally got it, and I smiled at her, moving to give her a hug. "I can't hug you like that," she said, pointing to my chest. I looked down, and saw the tag of my shirt was sticking out of the front, underneath my chin. She snorted at me when I scoffed. Nessie reached down and started to pull the shirt up over my head. I felt her hand slip past my skin as she went, making me shiver from such a foreign touch. She pulled it from my body and passed it to me in a manner that I could not screw up putting on.

"Thank you," I said, pulling it on the right way.

"No problem, its just my job to help those who are incapable, such as yourself," she told me, walking past me, and smacking my ass as she went.

"Hey, hey, hey! Someone's either keeping a secret or taunting me for her own personal gain," I said, running to grab her.

"No you don't!" she said, running through the house, screaming. I caught up with her quickly and wrapped her up to me.

"You don't think you could escape me do you? All those years to find you, don't think I'll let you go that easily -- especially considering your dad would have me hung if I lost you in Massa-fricken-chusetts," I told her, giving her a wet, sloppy kiss on the temple.

"Ugh, go brush your teeth before you come back for food, or I'll have to hurt you," she said, wiping her temple with her sleeve. "And then get dressed and meet me in town. Just call me, I'm going to go up by the woods and climb the rocks on the water."

"Aww, you're going to leave me here all alone, in your grandfather's creepy "extra" house?" I whined.

"Yes, and it's not that creepy, its small, and cozy," she said taking a light windbreaker and pulling it over her hoodie and long-sleeve shirt. "I printed some pictures of Kayla and Eric for you, they're in the office. I love you," she said, kissing me quickly, and walking out the door, starting to jog at the end of the block.

I smiled to myself and scratched my head. I went into the kitchen to devour the breakfast she had made.

*NPOV*

I started to jog down the third street yet that morning when a light blue Mazda pulled up next to me, pacing itself with me. The driver honked the horn, and yelled out the window at me.

"Hey, gorgeous! New here?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, speeding up, and I heard his engine pick up.

"Need a ride? You know, show you around?" he said.

"No," I replied.

"How about just…" I turned and looked at him, stopping the jog. He skidded to a halt, then back up a little bit to meet me. I glared at him. I had to say, he was good looking. "Whoa."

"What?" I snapped, crossing my arms, and sucking my teeth.

"You're just, really pretty," he said. I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want?" I snapped again.

"I could name a few things…" he faded off.

"Hey, baby," I heard from behind me, and I felt a familiar warm arm around my waist.

"Hey, honey," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck, and kissing him on the lips. "You were saying?" I said, turning to the guy in the car.

"Aw, dude tough luck. Too bad, she's a little bit taken," Jacob said, smirking.

They guy in the car just shook his head and drove off. I took Jake's hand and we started walking. Then I finally looked at him, and snorted.

"A ponytail?" I questioned.

"You wouldn't understand. It's just easier, plus, I need it cut. Alice normally does it but she and Jazz are off with your family," he tried to explain.

"I'll cut it then, later, Samson," I told him. (**Samson and Delilah**)

"Oh, getting biblical are we? I don't understand why you don't you go to school? Study theology, or history…you'd be really good at it," he said to me, swinging our hands.

"Because I have the rest of eternity to learn about the past. I would much rather spend my time with you…then I'll be sucked into it all when I'm bored, later. I want to live now," she said. "I want us to travel everywhere, do everything…eventually. We can be calm and content when we're old. It's not like our years are slipping by."

*JPOV*

It was true. The imprintee and their wolf age at the same rate once they meet each other. Normally, that means they grow old and eventually die together. With Nessie, I was almost as immortal as she was, and remained at the developmental stated of 18. I could probably pass with 22 or 23 though.

"You know it would make your father happy, though," I said.

"It would also make him happy if we were both to undergo a sterilization process and join a clergy, but you don't see that happening," she told me sternly. It made me smile -- she wanted a family too, someday. "We can settle down once we're done living."

We walked out to the rocks behind the woods, and sat there for a while, until she got bored, and went to climb all over the rocks. Then we went deeper into the woods, and back out into town. There were a ton of little jewelry stores, and a bunch of these stores that sold rocks, fossils and sterling silver everything. Nessie suggested something for my niece and nephew. She picked out a little silver name-plate chain bracelet for Kayla that could be extended as she grew, and I found a dogtag-esque charm on a masculine chain. I had an E with his birthday put on his, and the same with Kayla's name on her's. I knew they wouldn't wear them until they were older, but it was nice to give them. Both said _Love Uncle Jacob and Aunt Nessie_ on the back, because she would be their aunt someday. She objected at first, until I just had the girl behind the counter fire up the machine and engrave it anyway.

We stopped in a candy shop, and got some chocolate, and fudge and stuffed animals and things to send to my sister and the babies. Nessie stopped in an art gallery and quick bought an original painting of the ocean for her parents. It probably cost upwards of three thousand. We took it all to the post office and had it shipped out. We went for lunch on the one main road at a little café then went back to the house in the afternoon.

"So what are we doing tonight Jacob? First night here…well, not on the phone that is…" she called from inside the bathroom after her shower. I sat on the bed in our room right next to it on the laptop. I actually had an idea. I had bought her earrings today, a surprise pair of moonstones in silver -- when I had the kids' stuff made -- but she didn't have her ears pierced. I wanted to take her to do it I just didn't know where. I clicked away on the computer until I found something.

"Let's go to Salem," I called in to her.

"Sounds good. What are we doing?" she questioned.

"Dinner and a surprise…and maybe a ghost tour or something," I told her, cancelling out of the window I had up and deleting the history so she couldn't figure it out.

"We driving in?" she asked, coming out of the bathroom. I looked up her and was completely in shock…She was wrapped in a small white towel, and her wet hair was dripping little circles of water to the floor. The towel showed off her ridiculously long and smooth. Her green eyes were sparkling in the late afternoon light leaking in through the window behind her.

"Now, like that, I don't know if we're going to make it into Salem," I told her, standing and going over to her, and engulfing her in my arms. I trailed kisses down her neck and back up the other side. Her head rolled back, and I supported it with my hand, as I kissed her jawbone and her cheek. She turned her head and caught me on the lips. She reached up and laced her fingers in my hair. I put my arm under her back and the other under the back of her knees and scooped her up into my arms. I carried her into our room and laid her down on the bed. I kissed along her exposed collarbone, and nipped at her neck.

"Jacob," she whispered, passionately. I went back up the her face, and kissed her lips with fire. "Jake," she said again, pulling her lips from mine.

"Yes, love?" I said, kissing up to her ear and temple. She looked into my eyes with love.

"Not yet," she mumbled. I understood immediately.

"Oh, no. Baby, I would never make you do that if you didn't want to. I couldn't do that to you," I told her, pulling her up into my arms and hugging her. "I love you too much too much to…hurt you like that."

"I'm sorry, Jacob. I love you too -- exponentially. I just don't think I'm ready for that yet," she said sadly.

"Don't worry about that, okay? I promise, whenever you're ready, then we'll be together …You just go get ready. Plus, your dad would have our…well, my head if we even thought about that," I replied. She kissed me, softly then stood from the bed and went out into the hall to go to her room.

"Someday though," she said, turning back and looking at me before going into her room across the hall. I got up and went to my dresser, looking in the mirror above it.

"Eventually," I said to myself, and started to change for our night out. It was whatever Nessie felt was right…even though Edward would prefer us married, or better yet not to go there at all.

We drove into Salem, and parked on the street. I put about four hours in the meter, and helped her out of the car. I had blindfolded her, I wanted the ear piercing place to be a surprise. I remembered the first time I ever really though about bringing her to have her ears pierced.

"_Daddy said no. He said he wouldn't take me because I'm too young. I may be 7, but I go to high school. Everyone has their bloody ears pierced! Even twice in most cases. Piercing is like a phenomenon I'm not allowed to be involved in!" she growled. I chuckled at her and she shot me a glare…then she got this evil smirk on her face. "Jacob…Jake, you could bring me," she said._

"_No way, I am not going to feel the wrath of Edward later. Not going to happen," I assured her. She pouted._

"_But I could tell him that I did them myself! He would never have to know…Mommy said she doesn't care, that she never got to get her ears pierced and she wishes she had," she said. They were away for Garret and Kate's wedding, and that gave us the time to create a story about how she did it herself, and they had already healed, because they would have completely healed by the time they got back in two weeks anyway. Rose had given me a pair of white gold earrings with diamonds in them once, for a gift to Nessie, when Bella almost took her but she ended up not doing it because of Edward. She looked at me, she knew I was thinking about it._

"_I can't do that Nessie, your dad can see right through me, and then he'll set Emmet and Jasper on me and kill me. Do you want your uncles to tear me limb from limb just so you can wear earrings?" She smiled at me and shrugged._

"_Worth the risk…"_

"_I don't think so," I told her. She proceeded to pout, snarl at me, and storm up to her room. It had taken two of her favorite pizzas, 4 pounds of chocolate, a bouquet of white and pink roses and three trips to Blockbuster to get her to stop frowning at me._

I turned the corner, guiding Nessie in front of me, with one of my ties around her eyes, tied behind her head.

"Where the hell are we going?" she asked, excitedly.

"To do something that you've wanted to do for a long time," was all I kept telling her.

"Jacob!" she said, with playful frustration in her voice. I opened the door to the Purple Scorpion Piercing Salon. Thankfully, the smell of human blood didn't really bother her, being half human, because it was definitely present.

"Um, Jacob…" Nessie said, slightly concerned about the smell of blood I guess.

"I know, don't worry, its not a crime scene or a doctor's office or anything," I whispered into her ear. The girl behind the counter looked at me, and I put my finger to my lips, telling her not to say anything -- she knew it was me, I had made an appointment while Nessie was getting dressed. She directed us into a room, and shut the door behind her as she left. I undid the knot in the tie around Nessie's head. She looked around, then got confused.

"I thought you said it wasn't a doctor's office? What have I wanted to do in a doctor's office…"

"Hi, I'm David. You want to pick a pair of earrings, or should I just guess?" The piercer asked, as he walked into the room. Nessie's breathing stopped for a second, then she looked at me.

"JAKE! Ah, I'm so excited!" she said, ecstatically, jumping up from her chair, and pulling herself against me. David laughed, and passed her a plastic stand full of different samples of the earrings they had.

"We recommend picking something that's not going to make you bored for a month and a half while they're healing," he said to her.

"Oh, I'm not worried. What do you think Jake?" she said, turning to me.

"Doesn't really matter…" I said to her. "Not my decision…plus, you're beautiful no matter what."

"I love you, you know that?" she said, kissing my cheek. "Um, I guess…Ugh! I don't know!" She ended up picking a pair of cubic zirconium white gold studs. They'd probably only take a week to heal on her anyway, so she wouldn't be wearing those fake stones for long.

The process only took about 15 minutes. She was smiling ridiculously as we walked out, hand in hand. She looked up at me grinning.

"My dad's gonna flip," she said, laughing.

"Yes, he is. Not before ripping my head off, of course," I informed her. She laughed again, it sounded like music.

"He wouldn't do that, it would hurt my feelings, and he'd never do that."

"You're probably right…he'll just break my legs, instead," I said, pulling her into a brewery restaurant. It was a big friendly restaurant, with lots of smiling wait-staff. "This place okay for an early dinner?" I asked. She nodded.

We sat pretty quickly, I guess it was a slow night. I got a pint and a steak. Nessie had a bottle of beer and some chicken dish, flashing a fake I.D.. Okay, she was sixteen, but she was half vampire, and she acted like a 25-year old, so we got away with it.

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*NPOV*

It was nice waking up in Jake's arms for the second time in a row -- at a reasonable hour this time. It was about 9 in the morning when I woke up to his loud, yet comforting snore. While we slept together, we had never actually "slept" together, if you get me. He had my heart, and he was my world, and he knew it. We didn't need to have sex just to prove that to each other. I kissed his nose, and pulled myself from his arms.

I went into my room, and got dressed in more running clothes, and I pulled on my sneakers. I wrote Jake a note, telling him I was going out for a run, and put it on the pillow next to him. I placed a kiss on his temple and went downstairs. I cleaned my ears with the piercing cleaner formula and pulled my messy red mane into a loose bun, and walked out, down the street, and started jogging towards town.

I had to run, everyday…most of the time, in the morning. It kept me at the energy level of a human (sort of) for the rest of the day. Also, it kept me fit because I still had to worry about that, being human. I didn't hunt as much as my family did either, I didn't need it. I had to actually work to keep myself in shape. Sometimes, I thought I was more human than vampire. I was glad of it though, because that meant I got to live forever, be virtually indestructible, and at the same time, have kids, and be warm like a human. I wanted kids too. Badly. I had pictured my little auburn haired, tan kids with dark gray eyes running around the house, and playing with the family, on both sides. The only problem was, unless one or both of us did something to prevent us from having children after we'd had however many we wanted, we might keep having children for the rest of eternity. And I was worried to find out if they aged and got old, and died or not. I wanted them to live long happy lives, but I don't think I could bear to watch them die around me, forever.

I shook the thought of my future children dying from my head and ran to the beach in town. From what my grandfather told me, the beach outside of town was nicer because it was longer, and it was cleaner. This one was okay for now though, just to sit and breathe before I start to run again. It was cold, I mean, duh, it's September and I like the cold, but it was unseasonable, like 45 degrees. I was glad I had my windbreaker on with my Under Armor. Breathing in the salty tasting air felt good. Everything was so clean…it was such a sleepy little town, with a little year-round population. I got up to run up in the woods again, when I saw a familiar car driving past the beach, a light blue Mazda. I could hear the engine slow before the car actually did. I pretended not to be paying attention, and instead picked up a piece of seaglass that I saw, and went on "looking for seaglass". But he couldn't just drive past without bothering me, of course.

"You again, red?" he called from his car. I looked up at him quickly, glaring. Then I pulled my iPod from my jacket pocket and put it on, blasting Cold Hard Bitch, by Jet, and kept walking. I walked to the other end of the beach, and I heard the engine follow me there. I ran up the ramp from the beach, and jumped over a granite rock-wall into a cemetery, and wove in an out of the gravestones, until I finally reached the end of it, stopping when I reached a large pond with ducks in it.

"Hey, where ya going?" he called from behind me.

"What do you want? Don't you get the hint? When a girl runs away from you, it tends to mean she doesn't want you. And in my case, I have a boyfriend," I said, not looking at him, but trying to find a way around the pond.

"It's obvious you have no idea how to get around. Can't I just help you out?" he said.

"No, I have excellent orienteering skills, and a distinct sense of direction, I can figure it out by myself," I told him, spotting a bridge up to a road. I jogged over to it at a human pace. He followed behind me, I could hear him. I ran up to the road, covered with tiny little houses, a few abandoned, or used only in summer. I still heard his feet behind me. "What do you want from me?" I asked, turning to look at him. It was really frustrating that he would not leave me alone, and it would really start to suck when I had to rip him apart.

"I'm just curious about you. We don't get too many people who just move into otherwise unused houses that often. The Cullen house has been empty for about forty years, now you just up and move in?" he said, as I came to a halt, and looked at him. I had to come up with something to cover my ass.

"I inherited the house. I am a Cullen," I told him, half truthfully.

"But the Cullen's were supposed to have all disappeared in the 70's and never came back. A cleaning crew went in every once in a while, and the roof has been redone a few times, but no one's lived there," he said.

"You really think they just dropped off the face of the earth? No. But I am the last Cullen there ever will be. And when I get married, there will be no more Cullens in the world," I lied quickly. Then I decided I didn't need to be telling him this, and started running back in the direction of my house. I left him just standing there, watching me go, and I bolted back to the house. I ran in the open door, and shut it behind me before a realization came to me. He knew where we lived - he must have followed us here. Then I heard that familiar engine again. I ran up to Jacob's and my room, and looked out the window to see that blue Mazda outside the house. Jacob walked in to the room, with his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth and looked at me funny.

"What's going on? I was just going to meet you in town…" he asked with a mouth full of foamy toothpaste.

"That guy knows where we live…and he stopped me and tried to talk to me, and he followed me here," I said quickly, peeking out the window again, spotting him leaning up against the car. "He knows that this is the Cullen house, or whatever and he keeps trying to talk to me, and its freaking me out." Jacob walked back into the bathroom, and I heard him spit out his toothpaste, then he came back into the room, taking a grey button down shirt from the closet and walking down the stairs in jeans, black sneakers, and an open shirt, looking very mad.

I followed him down the stairs, and watched from the door as it slammed behind him. He stalked out to the guy, and brandished a baseball bat dangerously…he must have grabbed it from the closet next to the door before I had gotten to the stairs.

"What is wrong with you?" Jacob yelled at the guy, who had smartly gotten back in his car. "Did you follow us home? How the hell do you know where we live?"

"Everyone in town does man, calm down," he said back.

"What the hell are you doing coming here then, following my girlfriend home?" he asked, hitting the bat into the palm of his hand.

"I was just trying to talk to her!" he said. I walked out the door, and stood on the covered part of the porch, and leaned on the pillar. "She just got all testy and ran away, so I came here to try to get to know her! We don't get a lot of new residents here, and I was just trying to be friendly."

"Well, obviously, she doesn't want to get to know you, so how about you get out of here?" Jacob said, waving the bat toward the main road, a block from the house.

"Listen, I get it, don't bother you or your girlfriend…but I'm just trying to be friendly," he defended.

"Look, I understand, but you're freaking her out, and I'm not just going to wave it off that she's creeped out by some guy who can't just leave her alone. We've only been here for two days, maybe she'll introduce herself in time. Don't push it, and I won't have to crush your skull in, got it?" Jacob told the guy.

The guy in the Mazda just shook his head, and started the engine, and drove off the street. I walked out to Jacob, and wrapped my arms around him, pressing my face into his chest.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked, looking down into his arms, at me.

"Love me?" I said, in a high squeaky voice. He pointed at my face.

"You get a month to act like this, then you have to start being nice to people. I'm not going to walk around behind you with a bat, waving it at people who so much as look at you for the rest of time," he said.

"You actually want other men to look at me?" I questioned, hoping to play up on his jealous side to make him feel bad for me.

"Yes, actually I do," he said, taking me completely by shock. "I like to see the look on their faces when they see how beautiful you are, then realize that you're taken. It makes me feel better about myself." I gasped at him, and playfully hit his chest.

**A/N :** I just want to let you guys know that this is my new idea…Temperature is pretty much over, as the first of a series of "books", except for some closing up to do. Expect one or two more chapters in that book, then soon after, I'll start the next book. This story is completely different, taking place with a different Nessie and Jacob with different personalities. Thanks for the support with Temperature, I love you guys.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : Okay, I screwed up, Nessie is 17, almost 18, and yeah. Sorry, I love you people. Stonebay is modeled after a little town that I have spent my summers in since I was born, and it doesn't really exist, but the places and streets that I'm talking about really do. If you want to know what the town is really called, email me! Check the profile for links to the jewelry - I drew the designs, so please don't kill me for not being able to envision them...3**

I was out for a jog, in the middle of the night…I hadn't had time this morning, I was cleaning and then Jacob had to run into Boston for something, then we got caught up in the day and it went by too fast. I wouldn't normally have gone, but I really needed the run, I guess. I decided against running with my iPod because it wasn't safe to no be paying attention, and I'm glad of it, because I would never have heard, or seen the guy in the blue Mazda pull up beside me on the road.

"Hey…Nessie? That's you, right?" he said. I ignored him. "Hey, I'm just trying to introduce myself!"

"Didn't my boyfriend tell you not to talk to me, or should I call him, so he can wake up and come down here to kick your ass?" I answered.

"Can't you be a little nice? I'm trying hard to be that way to you," he said.

"What is so entice about me to you?" I said.

"You remind me of someone…and you're beautiful," he replied.

I shook my head, and kept running down the street. I heard the engine roaring, slowly behind me. I turned and looked at him through the mirror, then I took off at a rate not entirely possible for humans. I heard the engine still following me, so I reached into my coat pocket for my phone. The pocket was empty…I must have left it at home. I took a turn, quickly, then I ran down through a parking lot, and ran down the street. I heard him in the parking lot, so I made a sharp turn around a corner, and bolted home so fast I doubted anyone could even see me. I ran in the house, throwing the lock, and shutting the blinds, and I ran up to my room, but turned quickly and ran into Jacob's instead, throwing myself onto his bed. He woke up, stirring, then making eye contact with me.

"You're home ear…" he stopped when he saw the look on my face. "What's the matter?"

"That guy! He was following me again, so I ran home," I explained, still catching my breath.

"Where were you?" he asked, sitting up and pulling me into his arms.

"I was off of High Street, and then I ran into the lot behind the market and the pizza place, and ran here," I told him. He kissed the top of my head, and looked down into my eyes.

"Are you okay? You know, we can leave if you want…we don't have to live here," he told me.

"No, I love it here, he just makes me uneasy. I want to be here. I just don't want to be followed around like that," I said, putting my head in my hands. He draped an arm around my body, and pulled me back into him. He kissed the back of my neck, and rubbed circles on my back.

"Do you want me to go find him?" he asked. I shook my head and looked up to him.

"No, I just need you to be here with me," I said, and he kissed my cheek. I leaned up and kissed his lips.

"You know how much I love you?" he asked me, smiling.

"A whole lot?" I answered.

"More than you can ever imagine," he replied.

*GPOV* (G = guy in the Mazda)

"And, yeah, so I'm in Stonebay Massachusetts, and I found one. She's with a wolf though, I don't know how easy this will be, but I'll look into the situation. Her name is Nessie or some shit and…" but the guy on the other line cut me off.

"Do not use profanity with me, have some respect for people who are centuries older than you!"

"I'm sorry. So anyway, she's in the Cullen house, and she fed me some bull…I mean some lie about how she's the last member of her family. I've been trying to get to know her, but she's been avoiding me…like she's got some natural diversion from me."

"Interesting…very peculiar. Well, thank you for your information. We will be sending someone over to attempt to convince her," he told be before the line went dead.

I sighed to myself. Now it was back to Italy to start another search…and I kind of liked it here…and I liked the scenery -- if you get me. I was a little perturbed about what they might have in store for this pretty girl, but that wasn't my business.

*JPOV*

We hadn't had any problems with that guy in the Mazda since the night Nessie came home distraught, and that was weeks ago, maybe 3 months. She only jogged in the wee hours of the morning now, always with me. We hadn't even seen him since that night. We were in a little coffee shop at the top of the main road, sitting on the porch over the water, overlooking the harbor, despite the frigid chill.

"Jacob, I have to talk to you," Nessie said, sipping her tea, and putting it down on the table. Her face was so serious, it made me nervous.

"What's the matter, baby?" I asked, scooting my chair over to her, and putting my arm around her shoulder. She looked like she was having a hard time piecing everything together. She finally took a deep breath and looked up to me.

"I've been thinking about it…and I guess I…well, I should say first…I don't know how to put this," she said, shaking her head, and looking out to the sailboats, docked for the season.

"It's okay, just say it. I'll understand anything you have to say," I told her, tracing circles on her back with my thumb.

"Okay…here goes nothing. I love you, more than the world, and I think we're ready…" she said. My heart skipped a beat. Edward was not going to like this.

"Nessie, don't you think your family would want us to get…"

"I don't want to get married Jacob. I'm not done living my life yet -- not that I don't want to spend every waking moment with you, its just that getting married to me seems like you're getting stuck in something, like you can't leave," she said. _Leave?_

"Leave? Nessie, you know you can do whatever you…"

"Oh, Jacob, no. I don't mean leave you, I mean leave home…go spend a summer in Europe, or go partying every night. It just feels so stationary to me. And…well, to me -- I just feel married to you already, more even. And I think we're ready," she said. She meant ready to do what married couples do. Be together…intimately.

"You sure? You know your dad will have a heart attack," I told her, stroking her hair.

"I know, but I'm sure. I'm turning 18 in one week, and then he'll have no say in what we do. I've been waiting so long to be out from under his thumb. I love him, he's my father, but I can't be pressed down like this, I'm not my mother, and I don't hang on his every word. Plus, for them, it was he that was standing between them being together. He's not in this relationship, we are," she said. She was really good at speaking her mind.

"You don't want to talk to anyone about this…I mean, not that I don't want to be with you…I want whatever you want. But I would think you'd at least want to talk to your mother," I said.

"No, you know my mother. She's a closet nymphomaniac. She has about as much of a problem with that extent of a relationship as she does with wind or waves. It just makes no difference to her," she said, taking another sip of her tea. "Sleeping together is a natural part of a relationship…and the way we love each other is deeper than marriage…than a piece of paper and jewelry."

I leaned in and kissed her on the lips, softly, trying to put as much love into it as was possible.

"You want this?" I asked, just making sure of it before we got to doing anything she'd regret.

"Yes, I do. More than I had originally thought I would. I love you, and being passionate about it only takes it farther," she said. I knew my next question was a little awkward but I wanted to make this something she would remember, and I didn't want to rush her.

"When?" I questioned. She looked out into the harbor again.

"Surprise me," she answered after a moment. I smiled at her, and kissed her temple.

I pulled her back onto my chair, my lap, and wrapped my arms around her body, kissing her neck and hair, so we could watch to sunset together on this little porch.

While she was asleep later that night, I racked my brain…trying to make a good plan of action as to what I thought would make everything special. I didn't want to shock her, but she had told me to surprise her, so I was stuck in the middle. As my thoughts got more and more complex, I got more and more tired. I finally fell asleep, at about 2:30 in the morning.

When I woke up, to a cold feeling next to me, my neck was killing my…I had fallen asleep in an odd position. I sat up, and stretched, rolling my neck. I looked to where Nessie had slept, finding a hot pink post-it stuck to the oak headboard. I pulled it off and read it -- written in her elegant, yet scratchy print.

_Come downstairs…there's bacon involved._

I pushed my arms up over my head, and went I pulled myself from the warm covers. She really knew how to get me out of bed -- the key to my heart…is through bacon. She doesn't eat it…doesn't like it. I don't know how you don't like bacon, but whatever. I walked into the kitchen, and the smell of breakfast foods was swirling around everywhere down here. Nessie was standing by the sink, wearing tiny grey shorts, and one of my white t-shirts with a tank top on underneath it.

"Morning, beautiful," I said, kissing the back of her neck. Her hair was tied to the side with a thin black hair tie, and the natural waves were cascading over her shoulder and down the right side of her chest. She was rinsing out the pan she had used.

"Morning, love," she said, adding soap to a sponge and continuing to clean the pan. "Everything's in on the dining room table. I made strawberry pancakes -- if found a section of wild strawberry plants in the back, almost in the woods. And I make the syrup and butter stuff that Esme makes."

"Thanks…you coming?" I asked, starting to move into the dining room.

"Already ate, and I need to go into town…" she said, leaning back against the sink as she finished cleaning the pan.

"Do you need to go right now? I asked. I didn't want the one time I didn't go with her to end up running into that guy again. "If you can wait, I'll eat fast and come with you."

"I can go by myself, I'm a big girl," she toyed. I glared at her, and she smiled. "That's fine…I just want to get more earrings, I don't have any others besides the ones I had my ears done with," she said. _Oh! I never gave her that gift._

"I have something for you, before we go," I told her, going to the shelf on the wall. I reached up to the top and pilled down the little blue velvet bag. I tossed it to her, and she caught it quickly, looking at me.

I watched as she pulled the drawstring apart, and dumped the little silver earring out into her palm. She smiled.

"Jacob, these are beautiful! Thank you," she said, coming and sitting on my lap. She planted a kiss on my lips, and hugged me.

I finished breakfast in about ten minutes while Nessie was upstairs getting ready to leave. I put my plate in the dishwasher, and went upstairs to get ready. I just put on a regular pair of jeans, and a brown thermal shirt -- keeping up appearances. I slipped on brown sneaker-like shoes, and went over into the hall by Nessie's room. I knocked twice on her door, and a voice came from inside.

"It's open, babe," she called from inside. I turned the knob, and the door clicked open. I took a step inside and looked at Nessie. Sure, the door had been open, but she had not told me that she didn't have a shirt on. She looked at me and smiled, then pulled open her drawer and pulled out a Tiffany blue sweater, pulling it over a similar colored bra with white lace over the whole thing. I could feel blood rush to my face. If only Edward were here, my head would be at the bottom of the pond, behind the cemetery.

"I'll just be…" I started.

"Oh, sorry, did I embarrass you?" she said. My mind was saying _"No, just turned me on a little, that's all"_ but I answered differently.

"No, I just didn't know that you wouldn't be dressed," I said, about to turn and run downstairs.

"Sorry, I should have said something…I just didn't think it would bother you," she said. I was thinking _"Bother me? More like make me want to throw you on that bed and…"_ I shook myself out of my thoughts.

"Don't apologize, it doesn't bother me. I'm just surprised, that's all. You ready now?" I asked, sitting on the bench of her vanity.

"Yeah, just let me get my necklace on…uh, can you do the clasp for me?" she asked. She held up the necklace that her father gave her for her 10th birthday…to remind me to keep my hands off of her, as he told me in confidence. I held it up, around her neck and she pulled her hair out of the way for me. I was about to shut the clasp when I sighed.

"Can you pick a different one?" I asked. She turned around and looked at me.

"Sure…I could just close it myself," she said, taking the necklace from me.

"No, I'll do it…it's just that your dad told me that was a little charm to remind me to keep my hands away from you, because you barely used to take it off," I explained, reaching for it again.

"Oh…he did?" I nodded, and went to take it back from her, but she walked over to her jewelry box, and put it away. She pulled out a Jade beaded necklace, with a silver and Jade pendant. "Here, put this one on for me, instead. And then we can make the other necklace into something else -- maybe have it melted into a pen, or a paperweight or something," she said smiling.

I took the new necklace from her, and kissed her cheek, pulling the toggle together and closing it around her neck. She turned around and kissed me on the lips, wrapping her arms around my neck, and standing on her tip-toes. I felt her tongue run across my lips, and I opened my mouth, letting her tongue slide in. After a while of severe making out like that, eventually ending up on her bed, I pulled away, and kissed her forehead.

"Let's go before we never make it out of here," I told her, pulling her up by the hand.

"I guess you're right. Come on, let's go," she said, sitting up on her knees. "Unless you just want to stay here…?"

"Don't tempt me," I told her, pulling her off the bed.

We drove into town in her Mustang, and we parked at the top of the main road. I stopped to get coffee, and she went into this one little jewelry and glass store right across from the shop. When I had gotten my warm cup of coffee, I went outside to see her dark red hair moving down the middle of the street, watching the bay as she passed an opening to it. I put the lid on my cup, and started to jog slowly down the street to where she was.

"Hey, hold on there Speedy Gonzales!" I called from behind her, and I finally caught up with her. She looked at me innocently.

"I knew you'd find me," she explained, pulling me by my free hand into the Silver Shop.

She walked straight to the counter where the post earrings were. I went into the back, looking at more intricate and elegant earrings were. I found a pair of chandelier earrings with emeralds set in on every tier and hanging emeralds from the last tier. Then I had this idea…well more of a fantasy about Nessie. It was playing like a movie in my head.

_She was wearing a long white wedding dress, and we were standing on a balcony in Paris, the Eifel tower was sparkling with a million lights in the background. I went up behind her and kissed her bare shoulder. I admired her hair, which was left in naturaly curls, but the front pieces were pulled to the back of her head and pinned with an intricate diamond and emerald barrette. She turned around and kissed me on the lips. I wrapped her up in my arms, and my hands on her lower back. She pulled away and looked at me with love in her eyes, but there was something much deeper there…desire. I pulled her to me, and scooped her up into my arms. I set her on her feet in front of the bed and kissed her neck, making her sigh. She pushed me away for a minute, and pulled out the white satin ribbon that was keeping her strapless dress up and tight. It slipped off of her beautiful body, and fell crumpled on the floor. _

_She was left in a white lace corset, with matching panties, and a white garter. _

"_It's upsetting," I started. "That such wonderful underwear will be destroyed."_

"_Then it's a good thing I have two of everything in my trousseau, isn't it?" she questioned. I growled and threw her down on the bed, undoing the first few eye hooks keeping the corset closed._

_After much de-clothing on both of our parts, I stood at the foot of the bed, looking at the beautiful woman in front of me, sitting there, bare, except for a pair of chandelier earrings. _

I shook my head out of that train of though and looked at the earrings in my hand. A girl, presumably the owner's daughter, asked if I needed help looking for something.

"Yes, I need to find a necklace to match these earrings," I told her in a whisper to her, , laying a piece of Nessie's birthday present on the counter in front of her. She smiled as me, and pointed to the case behindwhere I was standing, as she came out from behind it. I scanned over it, quickly finding a simple yet elegant silver necklace that was all vines, all of which had emeralds and crystals in increasing sizes one the end of each swirl. I pointed to it and she smiled, removing it from the case, and ringing it up for me quickly, and handing me quite a large bag with the jewelry sitting in a sort of display box on the inside, all wrapped up. Nessie looked at me quizzically, scowling at the bag as if it had insulted her.

"Thank you," I said to the girl as I walked over to Nessie, who had a little white bag in her hands that looked like it would burst.

"What did you do?" she asked me, eyeing the bag again.

"Nothing for your birthday, if that's what your thinking," I told her, tucking the back under my arm, and holding on to it tightly.

"Damn, Jacob! I don't want anything," she said, whining.

"I know you're dying to know what's in the bag, so shut up," I said with a laugh. She glared at me.

"Fine," she said, stomping out of the store. I looked at the man behind the counter, who had witnessed the situation.

"Apparently, she gets that," I said, pointing to her waiting outside of the store, looking like she would rip my head off. "From her mother…he father has a hard time buying gifts for her as well." He laughed at me, and waved as I left.

I walked up to Nessie, who glared at me with all the hatred she could muster. I took her by the hand and pulled her back up the street towards the car. She followed, begrudgingly, and starting calling me all kinds of names. I pulled her into a store about halfway to the car, and pulled her up to the counter. I don't know what drew me into the store, but I was glad I pulled her in here. She was immediately distracted by the cases of rings under the glass. It was a very interesting store, with all natural clothing everywhere, and mineral stones for sale, as well as painted rocks, singing bowls, essential oils, bumper stickers, and lastly, jewelry.

I looked over her shoulder to the tray of rings she was currently looking at. There was a ton of turquoise, and mother of pearl. The next tray had a moonstone ring, that matched her earrings perfectly. She didn't notice me pick it up, and hand it to the girl, along with cash to cover it in my palm. She slipped it in a box quietly, and put another tray on the glass for Nessie to look at, distracting her from our exchange. She gave me change and a white paper bag. Much like Nessie knew the way to my heart was through breakfast meats, I knew the trick to her heart was spontaneous gifts. She said she hated getting gifts, but I knew she secretly loved it.

Nessie bought herself a handmade glass pendant on a hemp braid, and we finally got back to the car. I had come to learn that jewelry was a big family favorite of the Cullen's because it lasted longer than pictures, books, and other things. For a family of immortals, the only possessions that mattered were those that lasted forever.

"What do you want for lunch Jacob?" she asked, breaking the silence between us on the way home.

"Do you want to just go into Gloucester?" I asked in reply.

"Sure. We could go to that sushi place…in Latitude 43. It was pretty good last time," she suggested.

"Okay. You ready now, or do we have to go home?"

"Let's just go and make it all easier," I said, as I turned onto route 127 out of Stonebay.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Latitude 43 had an extremely long wait -- lunch break for everyone in Gloucester and the surrounding area. We ended up grabbing Dunkin' Donuts for a quick lunch, and wandering the area, looking in little shops, and per usual, shopping until our reservation for a place called Alchemy at 5. Nessie found a store, selling sweats and sport equipment. It looked kinda sketchy on the outside, but it was alright on the inside, with tons of all the clothes that I liked to wear -- hoodies, and sneakers. Nessie dragged me into a vintage store, with tons of clothing at least forty years old. She was busy running around trying on ancient hats and dresses while I was again, at the jewelry counter. It was really the only thing I understand for girls. I saw its importance, and what certain things meant to them. Purses and their importance, however, I had no idea about.

I was busy eyeing a wide, diamond sprinkled band from the 1960's. I asked to see it, and the grumpy old woman behind the counter took it out, and plopped it on a black velvet mat. She told me it was about three carats of diamonds set into white gold, custom made in 1962 for a friend of hers who had never liked it. She also informed me that she'd give me a deal, $1500, because she had just wanted to get rid of it after having it in the store for so long.

"Nessie?" I called. She appeared in a dressing room door in a circa 1976 chartreuse shift dress with clear glass beads in patterns all down the front.

"Yeah, babe?" she said, walking up behind me.

"Don't you look cute!!" I exclaimed like a mother would, making her laugh hysterically.

"Shut up!" she said, smacking my arm. "What did you want to show me?"

"How did you…okay, never mind then, if your going to be snotty about it," I told her.

"Jacob…" she drawled. "I'm sorry, tell me, please?" I laughed and pulled her into my arms.

"I'm just messing with you. Do you like this?" I asked her. She picked it up, examining it closely.

"Yeah, actually…It reminds me of Aunt Rose's third wedding band," she said, as the elderly lady chuckled to herself. She would never understand that those three weddings were to the same man over almost half a century.

"I was thinking that, but it's a little less serious," I said, taking it from her finger tips. She shrugged and bounced back into the dressing room. I pulled out my phone, and handed the woman my card, before walking outside, and calling Edward. I had been specifically told to charge however much I wanted to the Cullen account, but I just wanted to make sure this was okay. I watched in the window as the woman wrapped it up all nicely. Edward picked up after two rings, sounded a little angry.

"What is it Jacob?" he said into the phone, like I had interrupted…oh, I guess I did.

"Sorry, I'll just call back later…"

"You've already got me on the phone. What is it?" he said, blandly.

"I just wanted to let you know, I bought a birthday present for Nessie with the card…it's this white gold ring with diamonds I found in a shop we're in…is that okay?" I asked.

"Sounds fine to me, Jacob. As long as she likes it, I don't care. Goodbye," he said, not even giving me a chance to say anything before he hung up. I walked back in and took the little bag with the velvet box in it from the woman as Nessie came out, dressed in a completely different outfit.

"You know, my aunts and grandmother probably have all of this stuff…" she said, looking at herself in a mirror.

"You're probably right…how about we start to the other side of town…it's 4:30," I told her.

"Good idea," she said, going back into the dressing room, and changing. She came back out, and took my hand, as we left the store.

*NPOV*

I woke up that Tuesday morning to a flower on my pillow with a note attached that said "Happy Birthday" in Jacob's scratchy scrawl. I smiled and rolled over, stretching my whole body, before standing up and shaking all my limbs out. I took a deep breath in and went out into the hallway. I could smell whatever mess Jacob was making in the kitchen from here. I tiptoed down the step, trying to be sneaky, and slipped into the kitchen. Just as I put one toe on the tiles, I was bombarded. Jacob was standing there, smiling, holding the house phone up to me. I put it to my ear -- bad move.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" came howling from the speaker, and I had half a mind to throw the phone. After being wished happy birthday by every member of my family and questioned beyond belief, I got to hang up. I sat at the counter, and looked at Jacob. He smiled a big, goofy smile at me.

"Shut up…just be glad you still have hearing in both your ears," I said, grouchily. He put a plate of food in front of me and I looked down into it.

"Lasagna for breakfast, your favorite, I know," he said, smugly. I tried not to crack a smile but it wasn't really working. I stuffed my mouth before he could catch it though. "And birthday present number one." I scowled at him, with my mouthful of pasta and cheese, which only resulting in him laughing.

I chewed slowly and swallowed. Then I snatched the bag, and pulled out the little silver cardboard box. I popped off the lid, and inside sat a moonstone ring that matched my earrings perfectly. I smiled at him.

"Jacob, thank you, I love it," I said. Slipping onto my middle finger on my right hand and looking at it, before taking another bite of lasagna, and getting up to go give him a kiss after I finished chewing.

All day, he surprised me with gifts, everywhere we went. He also gave me things from my parents and family, and he brought me everywhere I wanted to go. He had given me my moonstone ring, a leather-bound sketchbook, a newly strung antique guitar, vintage posters of Janis Joplin, a bonsai version of a Parisian tree (I had wanted to go back to Paris since I was there last, jut never got around to it), and to plane tickets to Paris, so far. I was angry at him despite the fact I loved all of my gifts, that there were still more coming apparently. By dinner time, in Salem, I was getting peeved. He kept telling me that I would love the next few gifts, but all I really wanted from him was him. All I needed ever was that I got to have him in my life for the rest of eternity. We were walking around the main little shopping area called the Tuna Warf now, and I was really close to snapping on him.

"Hey, you remember that ring from that weird vintage place?" he asked. I nodded. "Did you like it, like, a lot?" he asked.

"It was really pretty…I mean…Jeez, do not tell me you are going to drag my ass there right now and get it!" I said. He shook his head, and we kept walking.

"But you would wear it, right?" he asked after a minute or so.

"It was beautiful, of course I'd wear it," I said. I really had liked the ring, I just didn't want him to get all excited over it and buy it…he had given me so many things today, I was pretty tired of it.

"Good, because I want to ask you something you've already answered…but it's going to be easier in the long run for everyone," he said, sitting us down on a bench and pulling a little black velvet bow out of his jacket pocket, passing it to me. "Will you marry me, eventually?" he asked. I laughed at him.

"Of course I will stupid…I don't need a ring to…"

"Just open the box. Spare me your peanut gallery comments until after you look at it," he told me. I shut my mouth and opened the lid. The ring from the vintage store sat there in it's white cushion daintily. I smiled at him, and kissed his cheek. I picked it up when something caught my attention. On the inside of the band, there was it was my birthday, with a dash next to it, but nothing else. I looked up at him confused.

"I promise to love you from the day I first saw you and on," he told me. It made my heart melt, even though we both knew we felt the same way about each other.

"Jake, I don't know what to say…Your so wonderful," I said, pulling him closer to me, and kissing him on the lips. I pulled away, giving him a final peck, and I picked the box back up, pulling out the ring. "Here, put it on me," I told him. He obliged taking the box from me as I gave him my left hand. He slipped it on to my ring finger, then I pulled him to me again, kissing him.

I was pretty fed up with presents…but this one was okay. Alright, I'm lying, it was the best gift I had ever gotten, besides it being a promise to Jacob, and a metaphorical green light on our relationship.

When we got home that night, in our flurry of kissing, and making out basically everywhere on the first floor, I could definitely feel that tonight was the night. It was the first night I would get to be with Jacob…take the next step. We had ended up on my bed, somehow, and were kissing like we hadn't seen each other in years. I was running my hands done his now unbuttoned shirt, then I pulled it over his shoulders and off. I dragged my hand and nails down his back, and over the lateral muscles on his lower back, then back up, and I wrapped my hands behind his neck. He was holding himself up on his elbows, with his forearms under my back. I arched my back up, and pressed myself into him. I reached to pull off my sweater and he stopped me.

"Nessie," he breathed. I laid back down and looked into his eyes. "Give me a minute," he said, standing up, and leaving me on the bed. I caught my breath and sat back up against the pillows. I wanted tonight to be our night. I decided to surprise him when he came back in, and show him how much I wanted this.

I went to my dresser, and pulled off my sweater, tossing it into my open closet, on to the floor. I pulled off my jeans and tossed them into the closet as well. I put on a bra that was similar to the one I had on earlier, but had metallic green with black over it instead. I put of black lace panties and took out off my moonstone jewelry, but let the ring that Jacob had gotten from the vintage store on. I jumped back on the bed, flinging the closet door shut when I heard him coming. He walked into the room, and I immediately saw blood run to his face.

"Nessie, you think you want to put some clothes on?" he said, sitting on the end of the bed.

"No, I really don't think I do," I told him, crawling over, and wrapping my arms around his body to his chest, resting my head on his shoulder. He had a large royal blue velvet box in his hands, with a white sating ribbon wrapped around it, tied in a simple bow.

"Here, this is the last of the birthday presents, I promise," he said, passing it over to me. I groaned, and took it, sitting down next to him, and pulling off the ribbon. I kissed his cheek before opening the flaps of the box. Inside, sat a silver vine-esque necklace with emeralds, pearls and crystals. There was also a pair of earrings that had the same vine like style with emeralds and pearls.

"Jacob, these are so beautiful…I can't even speak…I…Jake!" I stammered. It really was beautiful. I pulled the earrings from their place and putting them in my ears. Jacob looked at me, and his eyes smoldered when he saw them. He pulled me to him and kissed me, pushing my back down to the bed. "Hey, wait, let me put on the necklace, too," I said, pushing him back, and pulling the necklace from the box. I put it around my neck, and shut the clasp. I pulled my hair over one shoulder and looked up to Jacob.

"You are quite possibly the most beautiful person on earth," he said, wrapping his arms behind my back and kissing me again. I smiled against his lips, putting my arms on his shoulders and pulled him back onto me. He pulled back, and started hissing my neck, and collarbone. He kissed my chest bellow the necklace, and my shoulder on my left side, and down my arm. He kissed down to my hand and took it in his own, and kissed my knuckles, looking into my eyes.

"I love you," I said to him, propping myself back up on the pillows, and touching his cheek. Most of his body was to my left, but his chest, head and arms were either on either side of me, or right above me.

"I love you more," he said, kissing my nose. I smiled up at him and pulled him down to kiss my lips by the neck.

"Jacob…are we gonna do this?" I asked, running my hands down his sides.

"We don't have to, Nessie. We could wait until another time if you…"

"No, I want to, I just don't want to rush you into this if you don't want to," I told him, my hands coming to rest on his lower back. "I want this Jacob. I want us to be together like this. I don't want to keep holding back for my parents' sake."

"You sure? I mean, I want this too, but are you sure about this?" he asked. I didn't respond. Instead, I pulled him down on top of me, and kissed him. I felt him slip his hands out from under my back, and become tangled in my lose hair. He started to unbutton his jeans, and I stretched my hands up over my head into the pillows. Jacob had his pants unbuttoned and unzipped, and came back over, kissing my chest, and my stomach while I stretched. I smiled and looked down at him, as he rested his head on my belly.

He kissed his way back up to my face, and cradled me in his arms. I kissed his throat and played with hair. We were kissing intensely, and he had removed his jeans, leaving us both in underwear. We had rolled over and I was straddling his stomach, kissing his neck while he trace circles on my back. He reached to undo my bra, when the phone rang. I groaned and looked at the clock.

"Who the hell is calling at ten thirty??" I half yelled. I turned to get the phone. The number displayed on the screen was my father. I groaned again and picked it up. "What dad?"

"Don't snap at me, Nessie. I was just calling to see how your birthday was," he said. Jacob started kissing my chest, and I tried to push him away.

"Fine, dad, just fine. I had a nice day, can I go now?" I told him, a little impatient with him that he had interrupted Jacob and I.

"Jacob said he got you a ring. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I love it, along with everything else he gave me…cant I go now?" I answered.

"What are you so impatient…" he paused, contemplating and coming to a realization. "Nessie, I would really prefer if you two not do this."

"You're not in charge of me," I told him, pouting. "I've been perfectly capable of making my own decisions for eleven years, and I've been waiting for the sake of your sanity. You're not going to stop us. Even if you tried, its going to take a while to get back from Europe," I explained, running my hand down Jacob's chest.

"Nessie, I don't think you're ready for this," he said, sternly.

"Dad, don't do this to me. I'm 18 years old. I think I can handle this just fine thank you. You really think you're going to prevent this from happening forever?" I asked him.

"At least wait a while…until you're married," he said.

"I don't plan on getting married for a very long time. You know we're going to end up together anyway. I hope you don't think you're actually changing my mind," I said, blandly.

"I don't like this Nessie. Couldn't you at least spare me just this once, and go to Atlantic City, or something. Please, for me?" he asked.

"Dad, marriage means settling down…stopping. I want to live now…eventually I'll get married, just for you. But now is my time for life, and fun a travel," I told him.

"You're mother and I have been married for 18 years, and we still travel and have fun," he argued.

"I understand you two, but if Jacob and I end up married, that means we're done living our lives, and then…I don't know, we can move away from everyone and start our own family, and…if you want us to leave…" I started.

"You already live on the other side of the country, Nessie," he retaliated.

"Yes, but when we settle down, we're not going to want the whole family barging in on us, and disturbing the peace, and kidnapping children to play dress-up Barbie with them. Sorry to tell you, but we're probably going to want our own space…to live out the rest of our live without outside interruptions," I said.

"Nessie, I understand but I just prefer you not to live like that…unmarried and sleeping with your boyfriend," he said.

"Dad, he's more than a boyfriend and you know that. What do you think this is? Living in sin? I would hardly consider us your cookie cutter Christian family, dad. In case you haven't noticed over the past century and thirty years, we don't die, we're cold…and we can't be killed. Why should immortals follow the religious rules of mortals? You're not changing my mind about this, and this is happening. I love you, daddy, but I'm legally and adult and there's no stopping me." I said, then hung up the phone and threw it behind me, to the floor and leaned in, kissing Jacob's neck again.

"You still sure about this, baby?" Jacob asked. I stopped and looked at him.

"You gonna start with me, too? Jacob, I want this…I'm not trying to make anybody happy but us. Nobody matter's and neither do their opinions. I love you, and if you're fine with it, then I'm fine with it," I said, putting my hand on his cheek, and looking into his eyes.

"I love you, too. Okay…but right now, I don't know of we can get back into this after your father ruined it…There's still some lasagna downstairs, and some birthday brownies we never got around to," he said. I sighed.

"Sounds good to me," I said, getting up and going to put clothes on.

"Don't do that…I won't get dressed if you won't," he said, standing up, and taking me by the hand.

"That also sounds good to me," I told him, kissing his cheek. We walked out into the hallway. "I love you, Jacob. A lot. I can't even describe it."

"I love you a million times more," he said as we walked down the stair to the kitchen.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N : A lot is about to happen…don't burn me please!! 333**

If I were to describe to you the night I shared with Jacob on my birthday, I don't think you would be able to handle it. He was so romantic and sweet about everything. And we had to have…done it…at least five times. And this morning, too. Okay, we're horndogs, but we don't mind. Now, it was probably a little past noon, and I was making our lunch in the kitchen -- baked macaroni and cheese, with peas and chicken. He was watching me cook with his arms wrapped around my body, following me around the kitchen.

"Do you want me to burn something, Jacob?" I asked, spinning myself around in his arms.

"As long as I get to keep you to myself for the rest of eternity, I could care less if you fed me rocks," he said, kissing my forehead, and breathing in the scent of my hair. "You even smell like me…well, like my stuff smells, at least."

"Are you saying I smell like a dog?" I joked, smacking his chest playfully before turning around to take my casserole dish out of the oven.

"Nessie, let me get that…its hot," he said, unraveling me from his arms, letting me step to the side. He pulled the door open, and took the kitchen towel from the counter. He pulled the dish out, with one hand and the towel. He placed it straight onto the marble counter, and I scowled.

"You're going to leave a mark on the counter," I told him.

"It's _stone_. It's a rock. Its doesn't burn -- I might as well be putting it on your dad's face, it may get hot, but nothings going to happen," he said.

"You're not funny. I have to run, I'll be back," I said, kissing him on the cheek, and grabbing a windbreaker. He whined at me.

"You're going to leave me here, with an entire dish of food? It's going to be gone when you get back…and haven't both of us gotten enough exercise in the last 18 hours to last a month at least?" he asked, complaining.

"No, I have to run. I have a ton of energy, and before you say anything, I want to run -- I haven't in such a long time," I said, running my hand down his cheek, before taking my sports bottle from the fridge.

After some complaining, I finally got out of the door, promising only to be a half hour before coming back to Jacob. He stood shirtless in the door, watching me go down the street. I had half a mind to turn around and fall into his arms for the third time today but I resisted and kept running down the street. I was running to Little Toy Gun, by Honeyhoney. I ran up into the woods, and out onto the rocks. I still had 20 minutes before I had to return to Jacob, so I decided to stretch on the rocks for a little while, then run home.

I was just sitting down on a rock to do a straddle stretch, when there was a presence I was not accustomed to behind me.

"Still as beautiful as I remember, Miss Cullen." I stood quickly, and turned around. I had seen this face before…almost 18 years ago. Not the Volturri, but one of the people they had with them.

"Can I help you?" I asked, my whole body tensing up.

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you that you have become part of our experiment. You must come with me now," he said. "I am your escort to Italy."

I was about to jump backwards off the rocks, and run off home when my eyes rolled back and everything went dark.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*JPOV*

2 hours now. Nessie was gone for two hours, and there was no sign of her in town, or on the beach. It was driving me crazy. I had told her half an hour, and she promised. I'll call her cell again. 6 rings, then her voice. _Hey, it's Ness. Leave a message!_. I flicked my phone shut, and ran frantically through the woods behind Stonebay when I caught it. Her scent, mixed with mine, through the woods up to the rocks. _She must have fallen asleep_.

My heart rate started to go back to normal as I followed it up into the woods. I came to the summit of the rocks, and looked around. Nothing. My heart rate picked back up again. I followed it to the edge of the rocks, and got nothing. It ended. Nessie was gone.

Pain rippled through my chest, practically ripping my heart out. I fell down onto the rocks, and I could almost feel my entire body convulse. I pulled my phone from my pocket, and dialed Bella's phone. Edward answered.

"She's gone. I can't find her…she's gone," I said, repeating myself at least 4 more times into the phone, over Edward's trying to get an answer from me. Finally, the line went dead, and I just laid on the rocks, breathing in what was left of her.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*NPOV*

"I told you not to use that on her, Erick. What did you think would happen? Your gift has enough strength to kill a mortal. She's been unconscious for a week. I 'm surprised it didn't kill her." My head was heavy as I lifted it from the pillow. "Ah, good. Finally moving," he said to me -- a different man than the one who took me.

"Ughh," I groaned when I sat up, about to make a run for it, when my head fell back onto the pillow.

"You may not want to move Miss Cullen. My friend's gift can be likened to being euthanized," the new man said, stepping close to the bed I was on. I moved away from him, then groaned again at the pain of moving. "However, it only makes vampires pass out for a short while, it can be deadly on an ordinary humans."

"Where are we?" I managed to groan out.

"Italy, darling, Volterra. You've never been here before, but your family has, many times," he said. _Volterra…that meant they were using me for something_.

"Not quite as euphemistic as I would have put it…" he answered my thoughts. _Ahh, Aro, the one who invades minds._

"For what?" I asked.

"Well, we have tried the half breed on half breed combinations, but to no avail. We wish to try half breed on full breed, but all of our half breeds share our blood, and Nahuel was impossible to locate," he explained.

"What?" I yelled, making my head spin.

"We are going to…"

"No I get it, you're going to breed me. Breed me? But…I…I'm engaged…I don't want to…"

"You don't have much of a choice, dear," came a cold female voice from the corner of the room

"Pardon my wife. She doesn't have much compassion for humans -- or your kind," he said. "And I'm sorry about your engagement Miss Cullen, but it is simply not productive to our cause."

"I could track down Nahuel for you…my family maintains close contact with him. Just please…" I started sobbing. "Please don't make me do this." I was practically begging now, pleading with them that they not use me.

"I'm afraid if me make contact with your family at this point, they will come track us down. We cannot risk them finding you again. I'm sorry, but this is your new home," he said. I felt tears fill up my eyes. I could not imagine the state of my family…or Jacob right now. A week I was gone, and I'd never see them again. My heart wrenched, and I sobbed out loud.

"They'll know it was you…from the smell," I said, as they turned to leave.

"Another aspect to my friend's gift…his scent is untraceable. Much like its euthanizing quality, it makes scent disappear once he comes into contact with someone," he explained. My breath hitched in my throat. Jacob would think I ran away…that I didn't love him. Jacob. My heart ached -- it felt like it was going to pop.

They left the room, leaving me under layers of heavy comforters, alone and heartbroken. I was broken up inside about Jacob…being ripped away from him so soon after the time we had spent together. My family must be torn apart, too. I can only hope they'll be smart enough to assume this wasn't my doing.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*JPOV*

One week gone, now. Her mom, dad, and grandparents were with me in the house now. I moved slowly around the house, and barely ate, which worried Esme. The macaroni and cheese Nessie made was still in the fridge. It's gross that I left it for so long, I just didn't want to get rid of it. That's disgusting, too, but its was like the last thing I had. It was ridiculous of me but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. There was no sign of her anywhere in town anymore. There was no trail in the woods anymore. I had no idea where she went. Edward was convinced it was Volturri, but we couldn't smell other vampires.

"Jacob, come eat something," Esme said, sitting next to me on the couch where I had been for the entire morning.

"Thanks Esme…I'm not hungry," I answered.

"Please eat. You need to stay strong for her," she told me, resting a comforting hand on my shoulder. I looked over to her, and she opened her arms, pulling me into her. She had been so understanding of me, always, and these days she was more like my mother than I could remember.

After holding on to me for a while, she dragged me into the kitchen and sat me at the island. She made me eat a bowl of soup and some bread before letting me go be a recluse on the couch again. I had never felt heartbreak like this before, ever. I didn't know how I was living. I had nothing of her except for clothes…and jewelry. She was wearing her necklace I gave her for her birthday, wherever she was.

Bella came in on her cell phone, with Edward behind her, holding his hand.

"Alice saw her, in Volterra -- something about…Alice, they're not going to! No, no, no…not my baby…Alice, that has to be…"

I flew up off the couch and went over to stand by Bella. She hung up, and the phone fell out of her hand. Edward caught her just as she started to fall over. He had obviously heard what Alice said on the phone. He pulled Bella up into his arms, and sat down, holding her. She was sobbing.

"What are they doing to her?" I asked, too scared to know the answer really.

"They are planning to breed her with other vampires just to test out the combination," Esme explained while Edward rocked Bella in his arms. I felt a snarl rip through me.

I immediately pulled the laptop open, and started typing furiously…I booked a ticket to Italy in two hours. I threw some sweats in a bag and started storming around the house picking up random things and throwing them in the bag…

"Jacob, we should wait…because if we go, they'll only hide her more from us. We want to go too, but they know we'll be looking for her…"

"Edward, I need to go. If I don't go, I don't know how long my heart can take this," I said, grabbing the keys to the mustang, and walking out the door. I threw my bag into the passenger seat, and looked out the windshield. Nessie's lucky charm bracelet was hanging from the rearview mirror. I pulled it off gently, and wrapped it around my own wrist. In order to find her in that hell hole, I was going to need all the luck I could get. I shoved the key in the ignition, and took off towards Boston.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*NPOV*

They tried to get me used to my future mate, Collin, buy sending him to my room everyday, and making him spend time with me. They sent us out of the castle sometimes too, but with guards and other vampires just in case I tried to run. I cried myself to sleep at night when I was positive nobody was watching, other times I just didn't sleep at all. This went on for two weeks, and I started to dream about my future children…not with Collin, but Jacob's and my future children. Collin tried to tell me that a match between a vampire and a half-breed would not work, but I knew better. If they weren't sure it was going to work, then they would not have brought me here. After the first week here, I had begun to get very hostile towards everyone, ignoring them all, and making sure they knew better than to mess with me. Everyone but the head three men, and Collin's group of friends actually stayed away from me.

Collin had tried to kiss me when we were driving back to the castle from the village one day, and I snarled at him, scratching his cheek when I smacked him, leaving a pretty nasty mark, despite the fact it disappeared almost instantly. We got out of the car, and I slammed the door, stomping away from the car, and glaring at some of the human soldiers at the door as I walked in. Through the door they were holding open for me, I transferred them images of me picking my teeth with one of their bones, sitting on their lifeless chests. They managed to hold their place, but gave me pretty shocked faces. I stormed into the building, and up into my room, shutting the door and throwing the bolt.

There was a knock about 15 minutes later, and I growled. "Miss Cullen, may I come in?"

"Whatever you want," I answered, standing and unlocking the bolt.

"How was your afternoon with Collin?" Aro asked, walking in and sitting on a chair in the corner.

"Stupid, and pointless. I'm not going to mate with him, and I'm going back to my family," I told him, sitting back on my pillows, and crossing my arms over my chest.

"I don't think you understand, Renesmee, we're not letting you just go home," he said.

"I don't think you understand me, Aro. I'm not your guinea pig. I have a life, and a family, and a fiancé and I'm not going to let you take that from me just because you think this experiment is a genius idea. Can't you just wait…maybe find a half breed willing to do this? I promise if you let me out I'll make sure my family doesn't retaliate," I told him.

He just shook his head, and walked out of my room, out into the hallway. I muffled a cry, and went to lock the bolt. I knew it didn't do much against them, but it made me feel safer. I went over to the window and wept…I'm never going to get out of this place.

That night, they sent Collin into my room.

It was late, probably two in the morning. I was on the verge of sleeping, but I didn't trust this place enough to actually fall asleep. I jumped when the door popped open…it had been dead bolted. Collin walked over to my bed and pulled back the covers over me. I yelled, but I knew nobody would help me…everyone here was against me.

He sat on the edge of my bed, and unbuttoned his shirt. I got up and ran to the door, but it slammed instantly, and the lock welded shut. I tried to pull at it, but it was blaring hot. I screamed when the heat touched my fingertips and pulled my hand back to my chest.

"Please, don't do this," I pleaded, falling to the floor. He stood and came over to me, pulling me up forcefully, and throwing me over his shoulder. I hit his back and cried like a little girl, then he threw me back on to my bed and made a move for my shorts. I kicked at his hands, and tried to pull myself away, but he pulled me right back, and ripped them off, underwear and all. I couldn't stop crying, and sobbing, and saying please, stop, but he just kept moving forward. I started screaming again when he produced four pairs of handcuffs and attached either on of my hands and feet to the cast-iron bars that made up the headboard and footboard. I twisted my body around and screamed. He hit me flat across the face.

"Shut up, will you?" he snapped. I spit at him, but he dodged and hit me again. I cried out when his hand collided with my cheek, harder this time. He held his hand over my mouth, and I tried to bite at it, but he pulled it away too fast and hit my other cheek, then replaced his hand. "Be quiet, and I won't hit you again…and stop biting," he ordered, as he slowly pulled his hand away. I took a deep breath, and he raised his hand again. I whimpered and flinched. He smirked, then put his body over mine, supporting himself with his arms. "Now be good and do as I say."

That night, he violated me, completely. After he left, I sat on my window seat, curled up in a ball under a blanket, crying all night.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*JPOV*

I had been in Italy a week, and there was no sign of Nessie anywhere, so far. I searched every village in the town around Volterra, and I had no luck. I was in a market on the outskirts of the castle, searching, showing her picture. Nobody had seen her. I was walking past a rack of clothing. I caught something on the rack, it was her.

I picked up the scarf the smell was coming from, and took her picture from my back pocket, showing it to the guy behind the shelf.

"Have you seen her?" I asked. He looked at the picture, and yelled for a guy, two stands away who was selling jewelry. They were saying things to each other in Italian, then the one from the other stand spoke to me.

"She was here maybe…3 hours ago…how you say…fighting with? Yes, fighting with a man," he said. "They left together in his car. I don't know where they went."

"Thank you…can I buy this from you?" I asked the clerk of the scarf stand. He nodded. I just wanted her scent -- I hadn't smelled it since she disappeared.

"For you, friend, just take it. She looked at this scarf, you know," he said.

"I had a feeling," I told him, passing him 15 euros anyway, and heading off. At least she was in this area. Then I got an idea. "You have a cell phone?" I asked, turning back to the guy. He nodded. "Call me if you see her again, will you?"

"Of course," he said, taking my number down.

I walked around the city, trying to look for people who could tell me where Nessie is…otherwise known as vampires. They would know what I was, but they would also know where Volterra was. No one could be found though, matching the normal description -- red or gold eyes, white skin, cold bodies. They must stick close to Volterra, or stay out of this country. I knew I definitely wasn't coming back here ever again, unless forced.

It was another week before I saw or heard anything about Nessie. It was a call from the vendor. She was standing there, at the cart, looking for the scarf I had bought. He told her to wait there…someone had been looking for her…I got there in about fifteen minutes.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*NPOV*

I was in town with Collin again…he wanted to make me wear that bloody necklace that he saw. He had come into my room every night that week, and made me cry all night long. I hadn't slept more than 12 hours this entire week. I distracted myself from him in the village and went to that little scarf cart again.

"Hi," I said to the man. "Uh…buon giorno. I was looking at a teal and silver scarf last week…" I started.

"A man came by and bought it a few hours after you looked at it," he said. "Actually, he was looking for you. Tall, very tall with long hair," he said. My heart flipped. Jacob was here, looking for me. The man called him, but before he could pass me the phone, Jacob had hung up. So I waited. Collin looked like he would throw up. He tried to pull me away sneakily, but I was standing next to the clerk, and it would be to difficult to snatch me away without someone noticing.

I smelled him before I could see him, walking from around the corner. I screeched an ran to him, and flung my arms and legs around his body. I said his name into his ear, over and over again. I could not believe that it was so easy for him to find me…this experiment wasn't very well planned out.

"Nessie, you are never going running…or anywhere without someone again," he told me, then kissed me. I felt like I was floating. I pulled away from him and just looked into his eyes.

"I missed you…I love you…and you have my word never to leave you ever again," I told him, holding his face in my palms. Then I felt him tense up, and he put my feet back on the ground. I turned to Collin who looked like he was about to pee himself. "Jacob. Don't kill him, let's just get out of here…I need to get away from this place."

"Nessie, you don't remember him?" I asked, pushing her behind me.

"No…I've never met him before I was brought here," I said.

"Yes, you have -- he was at the front of the group out to kill you when you were born," he said, holding one hand on me, keeping me behind him.

"What?" I shrieked. This couldn't be right, he had wanted me dead from the start, but suddenly, changed his mind, and wanted me to have his children. "Jacob…" I started.

"I could never forget those faces…I really thought all of us were done for that day," he told me. Collin looked at me, like he was torn between the truth, and the lie he had spun.

"You," I said, looking at Collin. "Is this for real?" I asked, over Jacob's shoulder.

"Nessie, you'd never under…"

"You'll call me Renesmee, Nessie is what people close to me call me," I snapped at him.

"You'd never understand. We need you here…we can't be certain about half breed mixes. We need to be able to test that with a strong, half bred mother. We couldn't use your Nahuel friend because full breeds cannot carry a child, but you can," he explained.

"This is not the place for this discussion," came Aro's voice from behind us. "Collin, Mr. Black, Miss Cullen, if you will come back with us, we can explain more."

"I'm not going back there. I've got my papers with me…I'm going home," I said, taking Jacob's hand. "Jake, take me home please."

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave just yet. We need you for this, Miss Cullen," Aro said.

"I'm a person you know. I have emotions, a complex human mind. More complex than most, and I will not be subject to your experiments," I told him. Jacob was pushing me behind him defensively again.

"Nessie, just stay back…please. I am not going to risk you getting taken from me again," he said, holding me behind him by the arm.

"You are our only chance we can see to…"

"I'm not your test monkey. I am not going to breed your little demon children…especially if you are just going to run tests on them. I am not here just so you can experiment with me," I said quite loudly. Everyone in the town had started to become curious, and circle around us.

"Miss Cullen, if you please. Just come back with us, and we'll talk about this," Aro said.

"He told me," I said pointing to Collin. "That genetic connection between a full and a half breed could not create anything."

"I said anything to get you to trust me, you stupid creature," he snapped. Jacob snarled at him. I couldn't breathe. I thought Collin just came in as a show every night -- something might actually happen because of this.

"Don't talk to her like that," he said in a low growl. I put my hand on his lower back, and peeked around his arm.

"Please, Mr. Black, just come back with us," Aro asked again.

"We're not going anywhere with you. I am taking her home, back to her mother and father and family who have been scared out of their minds about this, but were too worried that if they came looking for her, that you'd only hide her away," Jacob said. I felt awful for my parents -- being so worried about their only child, who had been taken away from them, and I hadn't even made an effort to reach them.

"Mr. Black, she is our only chance to…"

"She said she's not doing it. Nessie, get a cab," he said. I looked down the street, catching the eye of a driver who was just about to turn the corner. He pulled into the square, behind me. I opened the door, and slid in, Jacob following me.

"Where to Jacob?" I asked, looking out the back window, towards where Aro and Collin were standing.

"My hotel --" he said, then told the man the address in Italian, that the concierge at the hotel had obviously had to tell him.

We were in an out of the hotel in 20 minutes. I checked him out while he was getting his things from upstairs. He came back down, and we got a complementary car ride to the airport. We were on the plane before I even got a chance to call my parents. My mom picked up in the middle of the first ring.

"Have you seen her Jacob?" she asked, right away.

"Mommy, its me," I said. She gasped.

"Nessie, are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine mom, nothing happened. I haven't seen the guy who actually took me but it was Aro, and this guy Collin from their army," I told her, lying completely. I could not let on that they had done anything to me, or else everything would fall apart.

"Where are you now…and when are you coming home?" she asked.

"We're on the plane home now…we're taking off in a little while. I figured I'd call. I miss you, mom. I miss everyone. I've been trying so hard not to break down in front of them but…" I took a deep breath, and I could feel my face get hot for the first time since my first day here. "They scared me, mom. I should have left when Jacob suggested it -- when that guy started following me."

"Excuse me ma'am but were taking off in a few minutes…you're going to need to hang up," the flight attendant said.

"Mom, I have to go. We're taking off now. We should be home in about 9 hours, give or take. I miss you," I said.

"I love you, baby. I can't wait to hug you again…and Jacob already told you that you're never going out by yourself again, right?" she asked.

"Yes mom, I love you too. I'll be home soon," I said, before hitting end, and turning the phone completely off under the watchful eye of the attendant. I passed the phone to Jacob, looking up into his face. He put his hand on my knee, and his other on my cheek.

"They didn't touch you?" he asked. I shook my head, feeling my heart crack from the look of pain he had on his face…it hurt to lie to him, but it would hurt more if he knew.

"They were too busy trying to convince me to like them for that," I said. He kissed my forehead.

"I would have come sooner, but we didn't know if you were still in the area, and I wanted to be there when you got home," he said. "I was half expecting you to be pregnant with one of their little devil babies." I half smirked. "You're not, right?"

"No, of course not. I told them, and I'm telling you…any kids I have are going to be your's," I told him, reaching my hand up to his cheek. I hoped that was true.

"I love you, Nessie. I swear if they laid a finger on you, I'll get off this plane right now and go kill all of those freaks," he said. The engine of the plane started to rumble beneath us.

So much had happened in the past two weeks, I was so worn out by it all. I was certain I was never coming back here, and I certainly did not want to have little demon babies all over the place. I nodded off on Jacob's shoulder -- my dream was again about an older boy who looked like a young version of Jacob with my eyes and a red tint to his black hair, holding a newborn who I couldn't see except for a tuft of red hair. These were mine and Jacob's kids, my reason for not wanting to produce Aro's little experiment children. I could not risk having any other children than those two and any other siblings who shared their DNA.

_He was sitting in a chair in the waiting room, and as much as I could use someone to be here, I would prefer not to mortify my 14 year old with the birth of his little sister. Jacob had gotten stuck in traffic in Boston, but he should be here…actually…_

"_Ms. Black, your husband is here. Um…Do you want him to be in…" but she stopped when Jacob came in, walking over to me and kissing my forehead._

"_I'm her husband…I'm not going to just wait out there, and listen to her scream," he told the nurse, before pulling the chair over to the side of the bed, and holding my hand. "Are you okay?" he asked._

"_I'm fine…though he," I said pointing towards the door that led out into the waiting room, "may not be doing so hot. I think the whole water-breaking thing was enough for him for one day."_

"_He'll live. How's the little one?"_

"_Trying to escape," I laughed before wincing from a kick with enough force to practically dent a rock. I rubbed my hand over where she had just kicked me, and poked back. "Will you quit that?" I pleaded with her. "Don't you think mommy's in enough pain as it is?" Another smaller contraction started to develop but quickly went away. They were at every 15 minutes at this point. I groaned and rolled over grabbing a pillow, and almost tearing it apart. _

"_Oh here we go again. You ripped pillows with him too. I'm going to have to talk to the nurse about giving you bean-bags or something instead," Jacob laughed, putting a hand on my stomach. _

_Then there was a shaking feeling. It was odd, and someone kept saying "Are you hungry…hey, you hungry?"_

I woke up, and shook my head, looking over to Jacob, who had the most ridiculous smile on his face.

"What's so funny?" I asked him, snuggling my face into his shoulder.

"Just the fact that you sleep like the dead," he commented. I feigned a scowl at him, and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Do you want something to eat?" he asked.

"Um, sure…" I said, taking the menu from the air hostess. "Whatever the pasta dish is…grazie."

"Prego, signora," she said, taking back the laminated menu and continuing to the next passenger.

"So what were you dreaming about that had you so deep in?" Jacob asked. I blushed, and pressed my lips together.

"Nothing," I told him, looking in the opposite direction.

"Nothing…sure. Seriously, tell me," he said, pulling my face back to him.

"Its nothing…you'll find out eventually," I told him, smiling and leaning in to kiss him, but he pulled back and crossed his arms. "You haven't seen me in two weeks, I was kidnapped by the Volturri and you're going to deny me a kiss?" I asked. I actually thought he might have caught on to something for a second, and it scared me.

"I hate to do this to you…but until you tell me, I'm going to have to," he relied, looking out into the aisle next to him. I glanced out the window, and decided it wouldn't hurt anyone. At least he didn't know about what they had done to me.

"Our family. I was dreaming about our family…our children. I was about to have another baby, and our son was there, and he was 14-ish. I don't know their names, I just know what they're going to look like…Now can you kiss me?"

"Nessie…" he started, but then I pulled his face to mine and kissed him. He wrapped me up in his arms and pulled me into him. I pushed up the armrest, and scooted closer to him. His hug made all the hurt in my heart stop…his hugs always seemed to make everything better. Good thing first class seating was relatively far apart because anyone close to our two seats would have complained. We were finally forced apart by the air hostess bringing food, and drinks. Jacob was drinking a glass of water when he turned and watched me pick at the air-line pasta that wasn't really that appetizing. "Have you dreamed of them before?" he asked finally, putting down his glass, and eating a roll. I stopped pushing the noodles around and put my fork down.

"Actually, a lot since…when they brought me here. I guess its because I couldn't imagine me having anyone else's children. I tried to picture children between Collin and I, but all I kept seeing was the dream I just had," I told him, putting my hands in my lap, and twisting them around.

"And what exactly was this dream?" he asked, putting his hand over mine.

"I already told you," I answered.

"No, tell me how it was…like detailed," he said, taking another sip of his water. I sighed.

"Fine…I was just sitting in the hospital bed, I guess I had gone into labor with the baby, and our son was in the waiting room. The nurse came in to ask if I wanted you in the room because you had just gotten there, but you didn't wait for me to answer, and just came in and sat next to me. Then I had a contraction, then you woke me up," I said, quickly. "I told you that you would find out eventually…you could've just waited a while. I would have told you when it was happening," I told him, lowering my head, and looking at my plate of disgusting food.

"You really think that's going to happen?" he asked.

"It felt pretty real…I don't know. I hope it does," I said. He smiled at me, and took one of my hands in his. I really hoped that was our future, not this dark path the Volturri wanted me to have.

"I hope it does too…do you think you can show them to me?" he asked. I just pressed my hand to his cheek, showing him images of our children from my dreams over the past two week. When I pulled my hand away and back into my lap, I played with my ring -- the one Jacob had bought from the vintage shop. He looked up at me and smiled.

"She looks like you," was all he said, smiling. I looked up at him, and I could feel the tears already in my eyes.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*JPOV*

When she looked up at me, her eyes were all watered up. I think I screwed something up.

"Nessie, you didn't have to show me if you didn't want to…I was just curious," I said, taking her hands back into mine.

"No, its okay," she said.

"No, its not. If it was something you wanted to keep to yourself, you should have just told me…I'm sorry," I told her.

"Its not that…I'm worried that I'll never get to see them," she said. I wrapped my arms around her body, and pulled her into me. She wasn't sobbing, she was just crying. "I was scared that I'd never get out of there…and that I'd never get to have our children…that I'd just be forced into having Collin's, and I don't want that." I rubbed her back. I guessed she had been holding in the emotions she had felt while she was being held in Italy.

"I was coming after you no matter what, Nessie. I wasn't about to let them keep you from me forever, okay? Don't worry about them ever again…don't even think about it," I said, kissing her hair. She let out a whimper into my chest. I pulled her up onto my lap, and her head rested on my shoulder. "Shh. You're okay, Nessie, nothing's wrong, and we're together. Hey, look at me," I said tilting her chin up. Her eyes were all red and her face was puffy. I pushed the tears off her face with my thumb, then cupped her cheek in my hand. "I love you, and I'm never going to let anything bad happen to you, I promise. If I am there to stop it, which I plan on, nobody will ever harm you in any way." Tears started falling down from her face again, and she buried her face into my collar bone, letting out a few sobs, before finally mellowing out.

She just cried into my chest for a while and finally fell back to sleep. I was very glad to have he back in my arms and headed back home. There was no doubt in my mind that I would find her while I was there, and that I would be taking her home with me. I was never going to let her out of my sight for more than 8 seconds ever again. And if I ever saw Collin or anyone in the Volturri for that matter, they were going to be dead on contact. I'm glad she hadn't shown emotion in front of them…it would have made her more vulnerable to whatever they wanted from her…she might be pregnant with one of those evil little freaks right now. I don't know what I would do, or what she would end up doing if she was. I can't imagine her actually wanting to keep it, but it would be her child. Thankfully, we didn't have to make that decision. I couldn't imagine living with a kid who wasn't mine that called Nessie "mom".

She stirred again about two hours before we landed. She woke up, and went to the bathroom. I got her a bottle of water from the air hostess. When she came back, her face was less puffy, but her eyes were still red. She took up her previous spot on my lap, curling up into me, slowly sipping the water. I had my arm around her waist, and we both watched as the lights of American homes flying underneath the plane.

"I love you, Jake," she squeaked. I smiled and rubbed her back.

"I love you a million times more, baby," I told her, leaning in to kiss her cheek, but she turned and I ended up catching her on the lips. She smiled against my mouth, and twisted her fingers up into my hair, tossing he sealed water bottle onto her seat. She pulled away suddenly, and fell back into her seat, whimpering. I guess I shocked her…

"I'm sorry about everything, Nessie," I said, touching her thigh. She gave me a weak smile.

"It's not your fault Jacob. I should have listened to you all this time…I should not have gone running that day…We should have just left when you said so. I was so dumb about it," she said. I opened my arms to her, and she fell against me, tearing up again. I wiped them away before they could reach her cheeks.

"Don't say that, Nessie. You like where we live, it would never have occurred to you that this guy in the car would ever be connected to them. You're not stupid or dumb, or anything but smart and beautiful," I tried to assure her, but I think it only made everything worse. She leaned against me and cried until we landed. She cried all the way home, and she cried all night that night.

I felt defenseless, just laying there, holding her against me while she silently cried all night long. Bella came in to check on her about 20 times, with Edward at her heels every time. Nessie didn't acknowledge them, she just kept sniffling and crying to herself. After 4 in the morning, she had rolled over, and fallen asleep next to my chest, but I couldn't bring myself to not look at her and make sure she was safe and comfortable, and breathing all night long.


	4. Chapter 4

Having Nessie home was about as difficult as having her gone. She was upset and withdrawn all the time. She didn't leave the house unless I absolutely forced her, which I hated doing. She wouldn't run, and she wouldn't cook. She loved to cook, and experiment with food. And she loved to run. But as of recently, she just stayed out of the kitchen, and only ate if someone gave her something. She only drank water, and she hadn't touched a book in weeks. One night, she had managed to take a walk with me, and I actually got her to make herself some gnocchi. I sat on a stool at the kitchen table and watched her. She looked confused as she looked around the kitchen that she had organized, looking for things. I wanted to help her, but Edward had told me to let he reacquaint herself. It had only been two weeks, but it was like she had never been here before in her life.

She was curled up against my chest that night, not sleeping, per usual. She leaned up and kissed me, for the first time in a few days. I just stroked her cheek, not wanting her to cry again, like she normally did when we started kissing. I was starting to think that she would be like this forever, when she pushed herself harder against my mouth, and twisted her hands into my hair. I slowly put my hand behind her back, and thought that it was a good thing her family had left a week ago, but were only in Connecticut if we needed them. I pulled her against me, and pulled my face away from hers. I sighed, but she wasn't quite done with me yet. She pressed herself against my mouth again and pushed her body against mine. She flipped me on to my back, perching herself on my pelvis. She leaned over he and kissed me. I put my hands on her lower back.

She put her warm little hands on my bare chest and pan them down to my stomach and back up. I flipped us both over and held myself up with my arms, kissing all over her beautiful face. Her hands were still on my chest, but she reached down an pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her in a loose cami and boy short underwear. I put my hands underneath her upper back, and kissed her neck and collar bone. She smiled for the first time since the plane ride home, and it made me smile to see it, so I kept kissing around her throat and collarbone.

"Jake," she moaned. I went back up to her mouth and kissed her lips, then her nose, temples and forehead. I kissed her again, on the lips. She reached down and started to slip off underwear, and pulled the cami up over her head. Then she started playing with the elastic of my sweats. I reached down and pulled them off, tossing them in the pile of her clothes on the floor. I put my hands under her back and kissed her shoulder. "Please, Jake," she said in a whisper.

I started to push myself into her, carefully watching her face. She seemed to be okay. I pulled my eyes away from her face and let them close, memorizing the feeling of her…Our non-physical relationship was amazing, but this was a better level, phenomenal. We picked up the pace and she was okay, until we started going pretty fast, and she cried out, but not in a good way.

I pulled myself away from her, and held her face in my hands. Something had to have been wrong with her.

"Nessie, are you okay?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"I have to…I can't…ugh!" she groaned, and the tears started coming down from her eyes.

I wrapped her into a hug, and held her cheek in one hand, while I traced a circle on her bare back with my thumb on the opposite back.

"Jacob…I should have told you when you came to get me," she told me, through sniffles and tears.

"Tell me what, baby?" I said, running my hand repeatedly through her scalp, trying to calm her down.

"That they…Collin…" She had to stop and breathe in deeply. "They sent Collin into my room at night," she said quickly, and my hand movement stopped. I looked down into her eyes. I didn't know whether to hold her, or catch a plane to Italy and kill some people.

"They did what?" I yelled. She winced, and jumped a little. I gasped a little, then pulled he into my arms. "Oh, Nessie, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry," I said. She sniffled that she was okay. "No, you're not. How could I not have understood? You've been so…withdrawn, and alone." I pulled her closer to me, if that was even possible, and kissed her hair.

"You still love me?" she asked. Frankly, I was shocked. She had to be crazy to think that I didn't love her because another person forced himself on her.

"Nessie, of course I love you. I always will love you, no matter what happens…to either of us. What another man did to you does not change the way I feel about you," I said, holding her face in my palm and stroking her cheek with my thumb. "I'm sorry that I let you out of my sight, and I'm sorry that this had to happen to you."

"It's not your fault Jacob…I should have…"

"No, I should have been there. I should not have let you leave alone that day," I said. She pushed herself against me, and buried her face in my chest.

"I love you, too Jacob," she said. I rubbed her back as she sniffled, and I could tell she was still crying. I didn't blame her for acting so strange lately, I hoped she knew that. I couldn't believe they had actually laid a hand on her…and that I didn't assume that. I might actually have something to worry about now -- a little demon child that was 75% vampire coming out of the woman I loved. I wanted to ask if she thought she was pregnant, but now wasn't the time…I had to let her calm down before I asked too many questions. No wonder she freaked when we started to get into it.

Finally her breathing evened out and she fell asleep against me. I pulled my arms away from her, and got out of bed. I pulled my boxers and sweats back on, and went downstairs even though it was like 3 in the morning, I had someone I needed to call…Edward.

It rang three times and he finally answered me with a groan.

"What Jacob?" he asked, angrily.

"She told me something," I answered. "About Italy."

"Hang on…let me just," he started. I heard Bella in the background asking him what I was saying. "I have to go outside, Jacob has a question," he told her, and I heard covers rustling and the door open, and other things. He finally got outside…I had heard an owl. "What did she say?"

"Well, I don't really know how to put it…Listen, don't freak out and come up here, and barge in on everything. I don't even know if she wants me to tell you, but I think you should know, okay?" I said.

"Fine Jacob, just tell me," he said.

"She said that Collin had come into her room while she was there…at night -- that he…" I couldn't say it. I had to euphemize it, for my personal sanity. "He forced himself on her."

"She said that?" Edward asked, with a certain note of shock in his voice.

"That's what she told me…We were starting to…uhm, make love? And she screamed, so I freaked, and pulled away. She told me that they had sent Collin into her room at night. She was crying and she thought that I wouldn't love her anymore if she told me, so she kept it a secret," I told him. He didn't say anything for a while, and it was silent on the phone. "Listen, Edward I should go back upstairs before she wakes up and freaks out."

"Uh, okay sure. Before you hang up, is she okay?" _Okay, as in not pregnant._ I couldn't answer honestly either way.

"I don't know, I'll ask her when everything calms down, in a day or so," I told him. "I don't think anything's wrong, she seems normal, besides the whole freaking out, and the way she's been reacting to everything -- She just seems so away from everything, but I'm sure there's nothing to worry about." He sighed.

"Okay…just -- be careful with her. She's my only baby, alright?"

"You think I want to hurt her? She's just a little shook up for the time being. She's important to me too, Edward. Just promise you and Bella won't be here in the morning, knocking on the door. I think that would just freak her out even more," I told him.

"You have my word, Jacob," he said. I could just picture him now, head down, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm gonna go back upstairs. I'll call you if she tells me anything else," I said, before I hung up and went to get up and go upstairs, when I saw Nessie, standing in the doorway, wrapped in a huge fleece blanket. "Aw, babe, I'm sorry, I just thought that…"

"Its okay. I heard you on the phone," she said.

"I figured at least your dad should know. He promised not to tell your mom though," I told her as she walked over to my and sat down next to me. "I'm sorry."

"Its okay, Jacob. I should have told all of you…I was scared, though," she said, pulling her arms around her body, making the blanket tighter.

"Don't worry about anything you've done. None of this is your fault," I told her. "Come, let's go back to sleep." I scooped her up in my arms, her legs falling over my left arm, and her lead leaning against my right shoulder. I kissed her forehead and brought her back up to our room. I laid her down on the bed, and kissed her cheek before pulling the covers up over her. She pulled her arm out from underneath them, and laid her hand against my cheek, just showing that it was okay I told her dad and that she was happy I had done it for her. I leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips before pulling he back against me, and wrapping her up protectively. We both fell asleep pretty quickly.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*NPOV*

I woke up in Jacob's arms. He was looking at my face, and smiled at me when I made eye contact with him. I smiled and rubbed my face with my right hand. I felt his warm lips on my nose, and I titled my head up and caught him on the lips. I felt him smile against my mouth.

"I'm sorry about last night," I told him. "If you want to…we can."

"No, not until you want to. I don't want to put you in that position -- if it freaks you out," he told me. I didn't want to tell him, but it really did.

"I'm sure I'll be fine, eventually…it just made me feel like I was betraying you, and I guess it still makes me uneasy," I admitted.

"Nessie, this wasn't your fault. You make me feel like I don't do enough to tell you when you doubt yourself like that," he said, pulling his arms from around me and holding my face. It felt really nice when he did that -- like I don't know -- he just had to touch me. I sighed.

"Come on, I'll make you breakfast," I told him, sitting up and pulling the blanket I had wrapped around me last night back over my body. I stood from the bed, and went to my closet, pulling out a baggy pair of sweats and a cami. I pulled them on quickly, with Jake watching me, standing in the door. He held my hand as we walked downstairs.

The fridge was practically void of food -- I guess I really had been pretty out of it for a while. I decided to go out and get some groceries instead, then we could stop and pick up breakfast somewhere. We both got dressed and ready quickly and left in my dark blue Mustang. We went to the local Shaw's and got a ton of stuff that our kitchen was lacking in -- fruit, vegetables, eggs, milk, cheese, pasta, granola bars -- the list went on. We had two carts full of food, and I worried that it all wouldn't fit in my car, but it did. We put it all away at home, before walking into town to a café for brunch. I wasn't very hungry, so I got a plain bagel with cream cheese, and only ate half. I drank a glass of water while Jacob ate a breakfast sandwich. He finished fast and we left, going for a walk up the main street. It was cold, being December. Not many people other than shop owners were out. We held hands, and walked up to the top. Jacob pulled me into the coffee shop so he could get a scalding cup of coffee, and he bought me a peppermint tea, that I had told him I really didn't need. He made me drink it anyway. We sat at the top of the street, which ended with a stone circle in the middle of a cul-de-sac right in front of the ocean. We sat on the rocks and I leaned against him, and he had his arm around my shoulder.

"So, do you want to go somewhere today?" he asked me.

"I don't care. What did you have in mind?" I countered.

"We can do anything you want -- aquarium in Boston, tours or something in Salem, we can go anywhere you want," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. I actually needed to go to Boston, and get some clothes -- I really only had brought autumn clothes, and I never got around to getting winter stuff.

"You up for shopping in Boston?" I asked.

"Sure, whatever you want," he said.

We left at about 2:30, after we got home, and had both taken showers and got dressed to be walking outside. I made some snacks for lunch, grilled veggies, with chicken fingers. We brought them in the car and ate on the way there. It reminded me of New York City a lot, being in Boston. It was exponentially cleaner, but not immaculate. It was such a lively city though, and very upbeat in most parts. We went into the main part of the town where most of the shops were and started shopping. Jacob followed me in and out of all the stores, carrying most of my bags for me. The shop-girls were astonished that he was so patient while he waited for me to pick things out. I got some thick jeans, some sweaters, warm long-sleeved shirts, and a new fleece jacket. It was about three hours later that we put everything in the car and just walked around Boston, getting a feel for the town. Jacob of course had to buy a Red Sox jersey. He joked about getting me one too. I stopped in a shop that sold Victorian era remakes of objects from homes. I got my grandmother some handmade candles, that smelled like violets. We bought some flowers for the dining room table and Jacob specifically picked out some sunflowers for my vanity table and a new blue glass vase for them.

We took the subway back to the station near where we had parked. We loaded everything in, and went home at around 7:30. We got home around 9, with traffic. I made Jacob dinner, before falling asleep on the couch while he ate. It was the most I had done in a few weeks, and I was exhausted. I felt myself get picked up about an hour later, and I got brought up to my room. When I felt the bed underneath me, I sat up, and looked at Jacob, who had just walked out to get sweats from his room, probably, so I changed into my sweats and crawled back into bed. Jacob came in and I felt the bed lower on his side before warmth filled everything up. I loved that he was so warm. I opened my eyes, to find him looking down into my face.

"What ya looking at?" I asked.

"Just admiring how beautiful you are," he said. I smiled and leaned into him, giving him a kiss on the lips. I pulled away and he had a smile on his face too. I put my hand on his side, under the covers, and my other on his chest. I curled up against him, and put my face against the space between throat and collar bone, just breathing him in. We were so connected to each other I don't know how we survived being separated in the first place, let alone if it ever happened again.

"How did I get lucky enough to end up with you?" I asked him.

"You're just that lucky I guess," he answered, rubbing my back. I yawned. "You should go to sleep, baby," he said.

"I don't want to," I told him. "I'd rather just lay here." He took my hand from his side, and kissed my knuckles, then my nose, then my lips. I pulled my hand from his and wrapped it around his side. He pulled my to him in a hug with one arm, and his other hand came up to my other cheek. I pulled away from him to breathe, and he started kissing my neck. I twisted my fingers into his hair, and smiled. He pulled himself back up to my face and kissed me again. He kissed across my cheek to my ear.

"I love you, Renesmee," he whispered. I felt like all air in my body got pushed out -- he said that like he never had before. There was so much passion behind it that I felt my face get hot. My eyesight got all blurry. "Oh, Nessie. Don't get upset."

"I love you too, Jacob," I said, furiously wiping my eyes. His thumb came up to my face and wiped a stray tear away. "I'm such a mess," I said, laughing.

"Do me a favor…don't change," he said, kissing my cheekbone. "I love that you're such a mess -- it keeps me busy," he said, chuckling.

He rolled us over and put his arms across my stomach, resting his head on them. I looked into his face and he smiled at me. His smile always made me melt. I was so lucky to have this person in my life. I wanted nothing more than to be with him forever, and nobody else.

"Jake?"

"Yes, love?" he answered.

"Let's go get married," I said. He picked his head up and looked at me.

"Seriously?" he questioned. I nodded. "Nessie, don't you think that's something you'd want your family here for?"

"No. Let's go, Atlantic City. We're both adults, I don't need anyone there, and I can't imagine spending the rest of eternity with anybody else," I told him, holding his cheek in my hand. He crawled up so his head was over mine. He kissed me, before pulling away quickly.

"Now?" he asked. I nodded. "You think we should like, take showers, get dressed…maybe?"

"Maybe," I laughed. He sat up.

"We're really going to do this?" he asked. I nodded again, smiling.

"You take a shower, I'll call a chapel," I said. He smiled broadly, and leaned in to kiss me again. Then he got up and went into the bathroom. I got up, and pulled my laptop onto my lap. The chapel opened at 10 in the morning…but I really wasn't into the whole "Christian" idea. I looked, and they offered non-denominational unions performed by a New Jersey Judge. I took the cordless phone from next to my bed and called in, leaving a message that my fiancé and I would like to be married the next day at any available appointment. I left my cell phone number. I got up and went to the closet. I pulled out jeans and a white v-neck sweater, with a green lace tank top for underneath. I put the necklace and earrings that Jacob bought me for my birthday on top of my clothes, that were folded on my vanity table. Jake walked into the room after about 15 minutes and kissed me, as I walked out with my clothes and my towel into the bathroom. I left my hair wet, to let it curl by itself. I got dresses, and put my necklace and earrings on and walked back out into our room, toweling my hair dry.

"You're sure that you want to go to Atlantic City, in the middle of the night?" he asked.

"Yes, we'll get in some time tomorrow, hopefully, and that gives us time to find each other's rings and I can find something to wear," I told him, putting my moonstone jewelry into a travel jewelry case, along with my antique ring from Jacob, and some diamond pieces from my family. I put them in a bag with another pair of jeans, a pair of sweats, and a pair of nicer pants, just in case. I tossed in two of my favorite sweaters, and three tank tops. I pulled on some dark tan cow girl boot, and tossed a pair of black heels into my bag. Jacob was watching me awkwardly.

"We're only going to be there for a day, two at the most…do you need all of that?" he asked, pulling a dark blue sweater on over a white undershirt. I guess we had similar taste in clothing.

"You never know what we'll be doing," I told him, tossing in my favorite pair of white sneakers, and zipping my bag up, slinging it over my shoulder. "You want to take a train down, or drive?"

"I'll drive…so should I pack as much?" he asked.

"Well, not as much…but whatever you can think we might do, pack something for it," I told him. He tossed in jeans, and those sneaker-like shoes in dark brown.

"Anything else?" he asked, holding the bag open towards me.

"Something nice…I don't want to see…just something dressy," I told him, walking out of the room, and into the bathroom. I made up a bag of all of my make-up and my tooth brush and tooth paste, and my hairbrush. I tossed in Jacob's tooth brush as well, because I knew he would forget it. I walked back out, into our room and sat on the vanity bench while Jacob zipped up a garment bag. He turned around and looked at me.

"You gonna even tell your family?" he asked.

"I'll call them after the ceremony tomorrow. After they have the chance to intrude," I told him. "Come on, let's go get married." He smiled and leaned in and kissed me. He pulled me up by my hand and we went out to the car.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*JPOV*

The car ride down to Atlantic City took six hours, and by the time we got there, it was 3 in the morning. We had left at 10:30. She had slept the entire trip, while I drove. I was too excited for this to be tired anyway. I kept looking at her sleeping face -- I could not believe we were actually getting married. It seemed unreal that she wanted to do this -- she had not wanted to get married because she was afraid of not being able to live her life. I guess it was everything that had happened in Italy…I'd have to remember to ask her years from now. I pulled into the parking lot of a nice looking hotel and touched Nessie's cheek. She shook her head and opened her eyes, smiling at me.

"This place look okay?" I asked. She looked out the window and nodded. I got out and passed the keys to a valet girl, who gave me a yellow card with the number 346 on it. We went into the lobby, which had black marble floors, and a white ceiling. Nessie checked us in to the hotel, and proceeded to drag me up to our room. I smiled the whole way there. The bell hop left our bags on the floor next to the door, and Nessie gave him a large bill, shutting the door behind him.

"Okay," she started. "We have to go find rings for each other, and I have to find something to wear. So get dressed. Is your phone charged?"

"Yes…I don't want you to go out alone, here," I told her. I was not about to get her taken again.

"Which is why I'm bringing the assistant the hotel supplies. Her name is Lindsay, and she will be my chauffer and assistant for the day. You, however, are on your own. They don't supply a person for the groom," she said, running her finger across my cheek, and darting into our room, giggling. I ran in after her. She jumped on the bed, and pulled clothes out of her suitcase she had brought in with her.

"It's four in the morning, where do you think you're going…getting dressed so nicely?" I asked her, holding up the diamond patterned pink and grey sweater vest she had in her hand, with a button down pink blouse.

"…Nowhere," she said, drawing it out like taffy through a pull.

"I don't think so missy," I said, pulling the clothing out of her hand, and dropping it on the bed. I kissed her, quickly, then pulled away, and picked her up. I carried her out into the main room, and sat down on the couch with her in my arms.

"JAKE! I have to be ready to go when everything starts to open up!" she said, hitting me in the shoulder.

"You'll have time, there's like what? Two, three hours?" I asked. She shrugged. "How about we watch a movie or something before Lindsay takes you from me for the day?"

"Fine, you find something…I'm thirsty -- you want something from the bar?" she asked.

"Sure…I don't care," I said. She smiled and took a room key, leaving the room. I turned back to the tv, and clicked it on. I flipped through the list of movies that you can order, and had a hard time finding a movie that looked funny, and not cliché. I finally found Pineapple Express, I had never seen it, and reviews were saying it was hilariously funny. I ordered it, and let the play screen come up, and paused it just as the previews started. I went to the mini bar and pulled out some snack foods. Nessie came back in with a bottle of champagne, a bottle of Coca Cola, and two glasses. She had an I.D. -- from Mr. Jenks but she didn't drink so anyway I guessed the soda was for her.

She put the bottles on the coffee table in front of me, with the two stemmed glasses, then went back and opened the door.

"Come in," she said, and another bell hop came in with an entire cart full of food. She passed him another large bill and took the cart to herself. She pushed it over to the coffee table, and took off the lid to a large platter of spaghetti and moved it onto the short table.

"Hungry?" I asked her.

"Very, actually, and I know you are, too, so shut up," she told me, passing me tongs and two plates. She popped the bottle of champagne and poured one full glass and one half glass. I filled up both plates with spaghetti, then put the lid back on the platter. She passed me the full glass and took a plate from me, plunking down next to me. She leaned against my shoulder and started to eat.

"Are we toasting something?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Just figured it was appropriate. People like to drink before they get married, so I took it upon myself to cover the booze," she said, taking a large forkful of spaghetti into her mouth, as a few pieces dangled out, and fell from her face. I laughed at her.

"You're such a mess," I said, passing her a napkin from the cart. She took it and wiped off her mouth, then downed her half glass of champagne in one gulp before replacing the glass on the table and twisting open the soda and pouring it into her empty glass.

"Okay, so here's how its going down," she told me, sitting away from me and looking into my face. "We're going out to a mall, when everything opens, same mall, just in separate places. I need something to wear, and we each need to find each other rings. Then we'll go out for lunch…then we're getting married at two." She smiled at me, and I leaned in and kissed her.

"You sure you want to get married? I mean, I love you, and I want to, but only if you're still sure about this. You were always so against it," I said. She shook her head.

"No, I want to do this…because of everything. I just need to feel like -- I don't know -- like I have a reason to fight harder to stay with you, because you're going to be my husband," she explained, taking another bite of her pasta. I liked that, that I was her husband…well at least, I was going to be.

"Nessie, please don't feel like we have to get married because of that…I'm never going to let anything like that happen to you again, and I know how much you hate the idea of settling down," I told her.

"I just don't see getting married in Atlantic City as settling down. Its just increasing the connection between us. Its not like its going to change the relationship we already have. And we're not moving into a house somewhere in Connecticut to settle down, and…I don't know…retire. We're still young, and we can go back to Paris, and we don't have to be like my parents who go on a honeymoon every 10 years and other than that are happy to stay home," she said.

"I know, but I don't want you to do this if you…"

"You still want to do this, don't you?" she asked.

"Only if this is what you want. Nothing we do is going to make me feel differently about you, I love you. I just want you to be happy with what we do," I told her. "Let's just not talk about it…we'll get married if that's what you choose."

She smiled at me, and kissed my cheek, then took a sip of her soda, sitting back against the couch.

"Are you tired, Jacob?" she asked about an hour later. I looked at her face. I had to admit, I was pretty tired. I nodded. "Why don't you sleep? It might be a pretty long day…" I half smiled and stood to go into our room, but Nessie pulled me back down to the couch and clicked the movie off. "Come here," she said leaning back against the arm of the couch and opening her arms. I smiled again, brightly, and put myself in her open arms. She her head back on the arm of the couch and my head came to rest on her chest. She put her arms on my shoulder blades and I fell asleep quickly listening to her breathing and her heart beat.

*NPOV*

I let him sleep for another few hours, even sleeping three hours myself, until it was about 9. I wanted to get him up so we could go, but he had been awake for more than an entire day, plus, he was so beautiful while he slept. I kept thinking about what I wanted to get for Jacob as a wedding gift. Traditional gift was a watch, but I really didn't want to follow that tradition. I thought about a car, maybe a different piece of jewelry, a new wardrobe…I could not think of anything that Jacob would thoroughly enjoy. He would love a car, but he would be working on it all the time, and that would take away from us being…us.

I was thinking about if we should go anywhere…on a honeymoon of sorts, when an idea for a gift game to me, but it was going to take a while. It was well worth the wait though. Then, he stirred and looked at me, then to the clock above the mantle piece. He took a sharp breath in.

"Oh, shit. Nessie, why didn't you wake me up? It's late now…I'm sorry I slept so late," Jacob said, sitting up, and moving to get up, before toppling over the table and busting his ass. I let out a roar of laughter as he sat there scowling on the floor. He frowned at me, so I got up and went over to him. I sat down next to him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"You, Jake, are the mess," I said. He gave me a sad puppy-face so I kissed his cheek. "Alright, you're up now. Let's go get ready, then we'll have breakfast downstairs…and then we're out of here," I said, pulling Jacob up by the hand. He yanked me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

"I love you, Nessie," he told me, tilting my chin up with his index finger to kiss me.

"Hey, hey, hey! We're getting married today -- abstain from kissing on the mouth until after 2 pm today Mr. Black," I said, putting my index finger up to his mouth. He let out a whine.

"Ness…" he groaned. "Please don't do this to me on our wedding day."

"It's only a few hours, you baby. You'll live," I said, wriggling out of his arms and running off into the bathroom. He chased after me. "I don't think so, Mr. Black!" I said, shutting the door in his face. Just before I shut it, he gave me the saddest puppy face I had ever seen. I heard him whining like a puppy from the other side of the door, scratching at it.

"Nessie!" he groaned.

"Nuh, uh! You have to stay out there until I'm done. None of this "sneaking peaks". You can wait," I yelled through the door, looking around for a towel.

"Try coming out without a towel, baby," he taunted. I groaned and turned the doorknob peeking out.

"Jakey baby. Please…" I pleaded.

"Nope. You're gonna have to come out here and get one yourself," he said. "I noticed that when we got here -- I guess the maid forgot."

"JAKE!" I yelled, with laughter in my voice. "I have to get ready…Lindsay is going to be waiting."

"Nope…I think you're clean enough…you showered before we left the house," he said.

"Jacob!" I snapped, still giggling a little.

"Plus, you're just going to take another shower before everything anyway…so don't freak out," he said. "Just come out please. We'll get dressed and go. Don't tease me with you being naked behind a locked door I really shouldn't burst through." I groaned again.

"Fine, but we're leaving. We're getting dressed and leaving," I told him, coming out of the door. "Ugh, now I'm going to have to have my hair up all day."

"I don't mind. I like to see your face," he said, holding my cheek. I smiled.

"Go get dressed. I'm going to clean up that mess," I said pointing to the main room that we ate in last night.

"Okay, I love you," he said, before turning and going into the room where our bags were. I sighed and went in, starting to pick up the blankets I had put over myself and Jacob while we were sleeping, just a habit. I put all of the empty platters back on the cart, then there was a knock. I went over to the door, and opened it.

"Good morning, ma'am. Room-keeping?" a sweet looking girl said, holding up a pile of clean sheets and a pile of wash cloths.

"Oh, sure. We didn't use the bed though, we slept on the couch. But there are no towels in the bathroom, and I cleaned up the table," I told her. She smiled.

"Okay…did you need anything else?" she asked. I shook my head as Jacob came out of our room dressed.

"Oh! Hi," he said walking into the main room.

"Come, Jake. Help me pick out something to wear," I said, taking him by the hand, and leading him back into our room. I shut the door behind us, and pulled my suitcase to the foot of the bed and pulled out my converse, and a pair of acid washed jeans.

"Well, haven't I been helpful?" he said. I snorted.

"I just wanted you out of her way…what you don't want to watch me change? You'd rather go out there and watch a twenty year old fluff pillows, huh?" I teased. He got very straight-faced.

"Don't even play like that, Nessie. You really think I want to look at anyone other than you?" he said seriously.

"Jacob I was just teasing you," I said, leaving my clothes on the bed. I went over to him and hugged him. "Please don't take it the wrong way."

"I just don't want you to think I want to look at her," he said. "Is it because I said hi?"

"Jacob, no. You didn't do anything wrong…don't think I meant that. I was just trying to mess with you," I told him. "I'm sorry…If you want to go back out and wait…"

"No I heard you mention something about watching you dress…I think I liked that idea," he said, grinning. I smacked his chest.

"You're a pervert," I told him.

"Hey, you suggested it," he said. I laughed a little, then I pulled out of his grip and pulled my shirt off over my head. Then I pulled down my jeans and left everything in a pile on the floor. He smirked and sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning back on his elbows. I turned around and grinned to myself that he was enjoying just watching me change. I took a new pair of jeans and a clean shirt from my bag, then clean undergarments, and I stepped behind a white parchment-like screen, that I guess was a decoration, but it helped me torture Jacob so it worked. A little light from a lamp on the wall illuminated the screen from behind and I started to change. He groaned when I slipped my panties off, followed by my bra. I took my new clothes from the floor and draped them over the top of the screen.

"Nessie…this is hardly watching you change. I thought I was going to get to actually see you, not just a silhouette," he complained.

"You'll survive," I assured him, pulling my jeans up, and securing them low on my hips. I took my shirt, and pulled it over my head as I walked out from behind the screen, now dressed except for shoes. I went over and sat next to him on the bed, putting socks and sneakers on. I put on the necklace he had given me, with my moonstone earrings. "Hey, you want to go somewhere after this?"

"Like…a honeymoon?" he questioned, taking my hand as we both stood.

"Yeah…we can tell my family when we're out of the line of fire for at least seven hours. I was thinking Paris -- but it's very cliché. I loved Paris…" I said as we walked out, saying goodbye to the housekeeping girl, and going to the elevator.

"Wherever you want to go, baby," he said. "You were younger, though. Do you still remember Paris?" he asked.

"Of course I do…how do you forget the most beautiful city in the world…okay, it reminded me a New York, and it wasn't the cleanest place -- but it was beautiful," I told him. "Plus, I was too young for clubs, and I'm 18 now -- I'm legal over there."

"You don't even drink," he said.

"And I have no idea why not -- I'm marrying you, I better start," I said, smiling, and pulling myself against his arm, and looking up into his face.

"Very funny, Nessie -- you're so witty," he said, scowling at me playfully.

"No, I'm really excited about this. I want to be married to you," I said, holding his cheek in my hand. We were riding the elevator down to the lobby floor now. "And I've been meaning to ask you something. Do you want to pick out our rings in the same place, as a set, or just go to separate places like I planned?"

"I like the idea of spending as much time with you as I possibly can, and I really want you to like your's. I don't care if mine turns out to be a twist-tie," he told me. "What did you have in mind for your's…what do you want? You know I'll be the one to have trouble finding one for you that you'll like."

"I love the jewelry you buy for me," I said.

"I don't want this to be the one time I have no clue, and pick out something completely wrong."

"Well…just bands work for me. I already have enough sparkle on this hand," I told him.

"Your father will be upset with me if your wedding band is not extravagant. He'll kill me if you don't have the best ring in the shop."

"You don't have to do whatever my father wants," I told him.

"I want that for you, too, as long as you like it," he said.

"I'm sure I'll love anything you pick out," I said. We were by the front desk, and waiting for Lindsay. "How about clothing? You think I should wear white? Because I don't really thinks it's necessary -- its not like we haven't been with each other and its really not a big huge thing with everyone expecting something specific."

"Wear whatever you want. You'll look beautiful of you wear a sack," he said. Lindsay showed up, wearing dark jeans, heels, a blouse and a casual blazer.

"Ms. Cullen, nice to see you again. Mr. Black, nice to meet you," she said smiling.

"Please, Renesmee. And he's Jacob," I said.

"Alright then, Renesmee, I believe we have some shopping to do. Jacob, do you have something picked out for the ceremony?" she asked, looking to him, having hooked her arm through mine. Jacob nodded, releasing the arm he had been holding. "Good, that's done. Well, the jeweler that I recommend is right around the corner. Then, if you see nothing we'll look at the wedding specific stores. Are you planning on something traditional to wear, or something more modern?"

"Something contemporary, yet elegant -- I really have to look," I told her. "We're going to try to find rings in the same place."

"Sounds good to me. You ready to leave, or do you want to grab some breakfast first?" she asked. I tugged myself from her arm, and went over to Jacob, patting him on the stomach.

"I think we're going to need to get breakfast for this one first," I said. She smiled.

"Great! I know a great little shop just a few blocks over -- we get the hotel car for the day, I'll go get the driver," she said, practically bouncing away.

"She's very peppy," Jacob commented, after Lindsay was out of ear-shot.

"She plans weddings for a living, I'd be pretty insane too," I retorted.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N : L'Aprege is a real restaurant, but not really the one I meant…I forgot the name of the one I actually meant from when I was there. And the daddy bit -- sorry, it was necessary to make this chapter more juicy. : ]**

I woke up, and rolled over, smiling at Jacob's bright face. I touched his cheek, showing him the prelude to last night's events.

_I got pushed up against the door of the hotel bedroom, and I smiled against his mouth. My legs were wrapped around his waist, and my arms around his neck. His hands were on either side of my waist. _

"I love you," I told him, and he wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me against him.

"I love you, more," he replied. He took my hand in his and kissed my knuckles, and my newly placed diamond wedding band. I smiled at him, and pulled his face to mine.

"Come, let's go get a Parisian breakfast -- I'm thinking that little boulangerie that we went to our first day here last time," I said.

"Why are you always so worried about me eating?"

"Because you eat more often, and a lot more than I do," I told him, pulling him up by the hand. "Plus, I need clothes, and you need clothes…and we should call my family and tell them about…" I trailed off, holding up my left hand. He groaned.

"I just married you…I don't want to die yet," he said.

"He can't hurt you for another ten hours…and by the time he gets here, we can be on the TGV to Nice," I said, taking his hand, and pulling him out of the bed.

We got dressed, me in my skinny jeans and boots, with a t-shirt, a sip-up sweater, half zipped and my leather jacket. I pulled on a hat, and a scarf by the front door just in time to see Jacob come out in his similar jacket, with a navy blue thermal t-shirt underneath.

"Hey, I have a gift for you," he said. "A little bit of a late wedding gift."

"Jacob, you didn't have to get me a wedding gift," I told him, taking his hand.

"Of course I did, and hopefully, it will soften the blow when your dad tries to kill me," he said, passing me a little square blue box. I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek, opening the box. I flicked off the white satin ribbon and shoved it in my pocket. I flipped the lid up and there was a pair of 2 carat diamonds set on what must have been platinum because it looked flawless…everything looked flawless.

"JAKE!" I cried, and threw myself around him. He kissed the top of my head. "Help me…hold my other earrings while I put them on." I passed him the box with the diamonds in it, and took off my moonstones. I passed them to him and took the diamonds from the blue velvet card, putting them in my ears, then tossing my moonstones in the empty box and putting it in my purse.

"How do they look?" I asked, tucking my hair behind my ears awkwardly, because of my hat.

"Almost as perfect as you," he said, kissing me.

"Okay, now I have to tell you…I'm having your gift made. Its going to be sent to the hotel in about a week…I called in the order and faxed over sketches about an hour before the ceremony yesterday, and the change to the French hotel was sent over when we got here. Oh! Crepes. How about those for breakfast?" I asked.

"Sounds fine. And you didn't have to get me a gift -- I knew that if I didn't get you something, your father would have my head," he replied.

"Speaking of which, we should probably call…and shut up. I think you'll like what I'm having made," I said, before turning to the girl behind the little cart thing. "Deux crepes d'ouef et fromage, s'il vous plait." Then I looked at Jacob… "Bah…Un avec plus de jambon s'il vous plait, desolee."

"Oui, madame, ce n'est pas un probleme," she said, putting the batter onto the heated metal surface.

"What are you saying?" Jacob hissed from behind me.

"I'm ordering your breakfast, baby. Egg, cheese and ham okay?" I asked. He smiled broadly.

"I like ham," he said, grinning.

"I know," I replied pulling out my phone to call my family. I noted my battery was low, then saw that I had absolutely no service. "Crap -- no service here…" I said.

"Then, we're going to need international phones…or at least a phone card," he said.

"Yeah…Pardon moi, madame, j'ai besoin une telecarte, mais je ne sais pas ou…"

"Around the corner and to your right," came a voice from behind me. _Oh shit_.

"Oh, hi daddy," I said, in a squeak. Jacob's grip on my hand tightened.

"Now, Renesmee…I know your eighteen, but you should not be running off to Europe what happened," he said. _How did he…_ "Credit card charges…your not as cunning as you would like the world to think, Ms. Cullen."

"It's Black, dad," I told him, then covered my mouth. _OhcrapOhcrapOhcrap._

"It's what?" he said calmly, though clenching his hands.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen Black?" I said, like I was unsure myself. He grimaced, then glared a swarm of daggers at Jacob. "It was my idea, daddy."

"Did he tell you that it was?" he said, low.

"No, it really was my idea. I swear. We didn't want to make a big deal out of it, because you know your sisters…plus, that's too traditional and everyone does that -- big white dress, big hair, big party…" I tried to explain.

"You didn't even tell your mother or I?" he asked.

"Daddy, please…"

"Madame!" I turned around to see the girl behind the cart holding two crepes wrapped up in white paper. I handed her ten euros and took them, passing the thicker one to Jacob, assuming it had ham in it.

"Nessie, how could you run off to Europe and get married without even telling anyone?"

"We actually got married in New Jersey, then we came here. We figured if we told you while we were here, then by the time you found us, you would have chilled out a little," I told him.

"Chilled out a little? Nessie, you got married…my daughter got married and didn't tell me or any other family member about it," he said. "How could you possibly expect me to be calm about that?"

"I thought all you ever wanted was for us to get married -- stop living in sin or whatever…Plus, its not like you have much say in the matter, and its too late for any annulment you might try to pull," I said.

"See, that's what I don't need to know…" he said. "I do need to know why you got married, so I can give your mother a good reason not to come trenching out to France and killing Jacob."

"Why not? It's not like it changed anything between us, daddy," I told him, taking hold of Jacob's hand. He had been completely silent so far, he was utterly afraid of my father when it came to issues involving my wellbeing. "Jake, its okay. Daddy, you're freaking him out…You had to know that we'd end up married someday."

"Yes, I understand that…but after the way you had been since you came back and your previous distaste for the idea of marriage, I had assumed I had at least a few years until I had to worry about this."

"This? Dad, what do you…" I stopped and thought. "Geez dad, we're not going to up and start having little potentially dangerous werewolf vampire…"

"Don't even finish that sentence. I don't want to think about my daughter having little half-beings. I just meant about you getting married," daddy said. "And the fact that neither of you told anyone…"

"It was pretty spur of the moment, Edward. She only suggested it the day before yesterday, and you know I'll only do something if she wants to," Jacob finally piped up.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset about the fact it was you two who took the initiative to get married…but you know how upset everyone else is going to be that they weren't there. Who did you have to witness anyway?" he asked.

"The other couple…they went before us in the chapel," I admitted. Daddy sighed, annoyed.

"I can't believe my daughter got married in a chapel," he said, shaking his head. "So, what were you two planning on doing today?"

"Calling you, then fleeing before you could find us…" I told him. Jacob chuckled quietly, and stopped when my dad shot him a look. "We were going to have breakfast, get some things -- clothes, and stuff. Then we really didn't have anything planned. We really need to go to a Monoprix though, we need a ton of stuff."

"Well, I hate to intrude on my daughter's time with her husband, but my plane doesn't leave until tomorrow morning," daddy said.

"Dad!" I groaned. He smiled sheepishly, like he knew what was going through my mind. He knew he would be preventing Jacob and I from our newlywed activities for at least a day. "You just love intruding on my life, don't you?"

"It's my job, honey," he answered. "So, eat your breakfast…then we'll go get your things."

"Dad…you can't expect to follow us around all day like some sad puppy," I said. Jacob scowled playfully at me. "Sorry babe. Seriously dad…I know that it's a load of crap about the plane ticket…you just like bothering me."

"I love you, you're my daughter. I don't just want to bug you…Is it such a crime that I want to spend time with you?"

"For your reasons, yes," I told him, taking Jacob by the hand and leading him away from my insane father. _Crazy pain in the ass thinks he can just…_

"Hey! You can't call your father a crazy pain in the ass!" daddy called from behind us.

"I can if I want to," I said, turning just my head around and sticking my tongue out at him.

"Very mature," he said, catching up to us. I sat Jacob and myself down on a bench, and glared at my father.

"Ugh…you are impossible," I said, unwrapping my crepe on my lap. Jacob was doing the same, and smiling as he breathed it in.

"These are the best things I have ever tasted. There is nothing better than a fresh crepe…" he said, obviously trying to change the subject…it wasn't working with my dad though. But I had a plan that would. I put my crepe to the side, and pulled Jacob's face to mine, kissing him roughly on the mouth. He smirked against my mouth and put his free hand on my cheek.

"You know…that's not going to bother me…" my dad said nervously.

I grinned, sort of, and put Jacob's crepe off to the side, on top of my bag, and pulled myself up onto his lap, shooting a glance at my dad, who looked awkward just standing there, watching me kiss my husband. I twisted my fingers in his hair, and moaned. I felt him smile against my mouth again.

"Jacob…" I breathed, pulling away quickly to take a breath of air and going back on assaulting his mouth.

"Alright, fine. I'm going to go find a gift for your mother," daddy said, turning around angrily and walking away. I pulled away from Jacob, and giggled.

I picked up the crepe next to me, and took a bite of it. Jacob picked his up, and draped his free arm around my shoulders. He leaned in and kissed my cheek before taking a big sloppy bite of his crepe.

"So tell me…what exactly are you having made?" he asked, later, after he had finished eating.

"I'm not telling, I want you to be surprised," I said, wrapping up the last pieces of my breakfast in the paper, and handing it to Jacob.

"Please tell me," he pleaded, standing, and pulling me up to him by the hand.

"Nope," I answered, shaking my head. He looked determined, and he leaned into my face, and stopped about a centimeter from my mouth.

"How about now?"

"Not gonna happen babe," I said, stealing a kiss from him quickly, and turning away. "You want to hit the Louvre tonight before it closes?"

"I want to know what you're getting me," he said. "I guess, after shopping. Come on, lets get this over with -- my patience for sitting around is minimal."

"Oh, so I'm not allowed to torture you by making you sit in a waiting room at a shop while I'm picking out clothes? Fine…I guess I'll go to La Perla some other time…"

"La Perla…" Jacob repeated, contemplating. "Okay…but only if we go last so I have something to look forward to." I laughed, and tugged him alone down the street to the Champs d'Elysees.

He bought jeans at a few of shops -- and a ton of shirts. He said he thought it was interesting how everything written on them and their tags was in French. I just told him that we were kind of in France. I went into this huge makeup store where everything was all fruity scented, and so much fun -- and completely inexpensive. Later on, in the early afternoon, we both collapsed on our bed with a ton of bags. I turned my head towards him, and giggled.

"Think we have enough clothing to last a month?" I asked, sarcastically.

"Maybe a year…hey, how long are we actually going to be here?" he asked, turning to face me. I craned my neck over and kissed him.

"I really don't have any idea…" I trailed off. "You want to get going soon?"

"Well, we have the rest of however long we're staying to see everything Paris has to offer. And I feel like I'm gonna pass out -- I'm tired," he said. I sat up, and stretched, bending my body back a little, and exposing my stomach underneath my shirt. Jacob looked at me, perplexed.

"Hey, did you walk into something?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so…Why?"

"You have a bruise on your hip," he told me, pulling me back to him, now sitting up, by the hands.

"It's probably from my other lover," I told him, playing with him,

"Oh, that's what it is…Yeah, that's my I don't remember that one," he answered, tracing his thumb over the area he said was bruised.

"Yeah, he's a little rough…" I said, smirking a little.

"Is he now?" Jake asked. I nodded.

"Oh yeah," I informed him.

"And you like that?" he asked, still smirking.

"You bet your ass…but you know, you're okay too…all sweet," I said.

"Sweet? I can be a little rough…I can be a lot rough," he countered.

"Oh, I'd like to see that," I said. He yanked me to him, and stood up. He pulled my hair over to my right shoulder and bit the top of my ear, softly, but enough to feel like a pinch. "Hey, who's the vampire here?" I asked. Jacob chuckled, and kissed down to my neck. He turned us around and pushed me down on the bed. I giggled, and he went back to work on my neck, before taking up a spot on my throat, and sucked on the skin there, hard. I moaned. He put his hands down to my leather jacket, slowly pulling the zipper down. I pulled my arms out of my jacket, and wrapped them around Jake's torso. He held himself above me, on his hands and knees, one between my legs, and one to the right. Jacob kissed my mouth, forcefully.

"This rough enough for you?" he asked, pulling away before kissing my collarbone, exposed by my low cut t-shirt. I smiled, devilishly, and shook my head. "No…hmm. Well, then…" he said, kissing the other side of my neck, between my throat and my shoulder, and bit down. I bit down hard on my lip to try not to make any noise. "Huh…the vampire likes to be bitten…interesting."

"Are you mocking me?" I asked in asked -- between gasps at him biting my neck.

"Only a little," he answered. "I'm just amused by you, and your ironic non-vampiric tendencies." I laughed at him as he kissed all over my face.

"Oh what, you getting all sweet to me again?" I asked. He grinned, and pulled my hands up over my head and held them there with one hand. The other hand worked on unbuttoning my jeans. He slid the zipper down, and then folded the flaps open. I struggled at his hands, trying to get him to release my hands so I could touch him.

"No you don't," he said, taking his free hand and tickling me. I screamed, and started laughing hysterically.

"Stop! Please…I'm sorry! Please let go…I promise -- I'll never…"

"Get the hell off of her," came a stern voice from the door. Jacob stepped away from me quickly and I sat up.

"Edward, I swear…"

"Get away from her," he said again.

"Daddy," I pleaded. "He wasn't…"

"Just be quiet, Nessie…is that a bruise?" he asked, pointing to my hip.

"Dad, he was just tickling me…I'm fine," I told him, trying to get up and go over to Jacob. My father yanked me to his side.

"I'm taking you home," he said. "I don't want you near her," he said, pointing to Jacob.

"Daddy, will you listen to me?" I asked, pulling my arm out of his grip. I went over to Jake, and wrapping myself around him. "He wasn't hurting me…he was tickling me and holding my hands away so I couldn't stop him." My dad just looked at me. Jacob was scared shitless. "Babe, don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong, okay? I love you," I said, kissing his cheek. I twisted our fingers together.

"What were you screaming about then?" my dad asked, still not convinced. He had the ability to read minds, but he'd rather assume that my husband was secretly beating me.

"He was tickling me for the third time, and he wouldn't let go of my hands," I told him again. My dad crossed his arms, still looking skeptical.

"Edward, I don't know how you think I could hurt her…not only because she's Bella's child but I adore her," Jacob piped up, then shut up immediately. My dad examined our faces for another couple minutes, and finally sighed.

"Fine. Sorry," he said, like a five year old who really would have rathered not apologize. "But if I ever hear that you put one hand out of place on my daughter…"

"You'll rip me a new one, I got it…But I can tell you right now that I would hurt myself for hurting her before anyone got to me," Jacob said. My dad eyed him, like he was contemplating something.

"I'm sorry…I overreacted," he said. "I take drastic action when I hear screams," he admitted.

"Its okay dad…" I started.

"I shouldn't be here…I'm being intrusive, I know. I just feel…Maybe I should just go home. Can I take you two to lunch before I leave?" he asked.

"Daddy, you don't have to leave," I told him.

"No, Nessie, I should. I'm just trying to be an ass subconsciously," he said. "Come on, I'll make you a reservation at L'Aprege, then I'll go home -- after I buy something apologetic for your mother who told me this was going to happen," he informed us.

"Just get her flowers or something -- don't get ridiculous about this. Plus, she'll hate to be piled up with jewelry in 100 years from all of your apologies. And lunch sounds good, I'll call us a car," I said, picking up the phone to the concierge, and requesting a cab to L'Aprege. My dad was saying something to Jake when I hung up. Then he just pointed a finger at him when he knew I was listening and came over to me.

"I'm sorry I'm ruining your life, honey…" he said in my ear, kissing my forehead.

"It's fine daddy…just -- stop popping up whenever you think something's wrong…I love you, but I think I can handle my own life," I told him, hugging him.

He took us to the restaurant and left from there stopping at an antique dealer and buying some old piece of jewelry that I had advised him against, that was given to a lady of the court of Marie Antoinette by her husband's father. He promised he'd get flowers when he got back to the states. Jacob and I were seated, and I saw my dad point to our table and give the hostess his credit card number, and within 30 minutes, two plates of food were brought to our table. We chatted on and off about things, me sipping Pellegrino with lime, and Jacob having a glass of red wine.

"There was a moment back there when I thought your dad was going to take you away from me," Jake told me, holding his glass in his hand.

"I wouldn't have let him Jacob. I couldn't live without you…ever again," I said, holding his cheek.

"Nor I without you, baby," he said, kissing my knuckles and holding my hand on the table in his.

"What are we going to do tonight?" I asked him, picking at my food with a fork.

"I was hoping to keep my wife all to myself…but if you want to do something, I really don't care," he replied.

"You would have had me too, until my dad showed up. Plus, this outfit is much less comfortable than those unbuttoned jeans and my t-shirt," I said, tugging at my white off-the-shoulder shirt.

"I think my favorite outfit is the one that involves skin," he said.

"Oh really?" I asked, putting my fork in my mouth.

We got back to our hotel like we had last night -- making out and pushing each other up against every wall and door, muttering that each of us loved the other between kisses. We went into the second bedroom and he tossed me onto the bed. I immediately pulled the stupid uncomfortable shirt off, and unzipped my skinny jeans. Jacob pulled them off and tossed them over where my shirt had landed.

"I learned a little bit of French you know," Jacob said, kissing my collar bone.

"Well, you're a fast learner then, aren't you?" I said, smiling while I pulled him back up to my mouth. We kissed for a moment before he pulled back.

"Yeah…well actually, I picked it up from the table next to us…He kept saying it to his fiancée," Jake said.

"And what is it?" I asked, twisting my fingers in my hair.

"Je t'adore," he said -- kind of awkwardly. I laughed a little.

"Je t'adore, aussi," I replied, pulling his mouth back to mine. He pulled reached under my body, and pulled me up to him, arching my body against him. He took one hang out from under my back, and brushed my hair out of my face, and kissed my forehead.

"How get so lucky to have you…be married to you?" he asked me. I smiled at him, and shrugged.

"You're such a dork," I said. He feigned hurt.

"Me? How am I a dork?" he asked.

"You ask how you were so lucky to get me…how was I so lucky to have you there waiting?" I replied, touching his cheek.

"Very…you were very lucky," he told me, kissing my forehead again, with a big goofy smile on his face. I pulled his head down so our lips touched.

"Come help me get dressed -- we're going to Versailles," I said, making up my mind not to do this in the middle of the afternoon. He groaned loudly, and rolled off of me. "Fine, I am perfectly capable of going by myself…and dressing myself to go." With that, he stood up, and went out of the room. I grinned and sat up, watching him go and waiting for him to come back. He ripped through the drawers (I could heard him) and came back to me with a thin black nightgown from La Perla.

"I like this one," he said, tossing it at me.

"It's a bit cold for that -- its February, babe," I countered. He let out a frustrated sigh, and went back to the other room, presumably to my dresser, coming back with a black, thick peasant skirt, with leggings for under it and a long sleeve white shirt, with a gray cami. "That's more like it," I said, trying to take them from him, but he snatched them back.

"As I understood, I was to be helping you get dressed," he said, holding my clothes way above my head. I pouted and crossed my arms, making him laugh. He put the cami and the shirt on the bed and pushed my back down, unfolding the leggings and skirt. He slipped the leggings up my legs, and let them snap where they landed on my hips. I giggled, then he proceeded to slip the skirt on over them. I felt my toes curl when he was done with the skirt and started kissing up my stomach, to my neck, making my little silver toe ring pinch my skin. Jacob picked up the cami and pulled my up by the hands, pulling them up over my head. He pulled it on over my head and fixed the lace straps in place, then kissed my throat while he picked up the white long-sleeve. He pulled that over my head, and pulled my hair out from the collar of it, situating it over my shoulder and kissing my neck again. I kissed him on the lips and stood up, going out to the other room for my new black scrunch boots and a pair of socks. I snatched them up and sat on the edge of that bed, quickly pulling everything on before walking back into the other room, where Jacob's clothing was.

I walked in, and he was standing there, a clean pair of jeans unbuttoned low around his hips, with just the very top of his black boxers showing, and no shirt on. He was standing at the dresser, switching his watch from a black leather one to the Rolex my grandfather had bought for his 21st birthday. He also had on the white gold stud earrings I had gotten him when I was little. I always wondered why he had both ears pierced like a girl, and he said because he was "cool like that". He hadn't worn them in a long time, and I have to say they were kind of turning me on. The sparkle from the 1 ct diamond in each one was luring me like a fish to a lure. He turned and flashed me a smile that almost made me jumps his bones right there, before he pulled a black thermal t-shirt from home over his head and came over to me.

"I like the earrings," I said, as he wrapped his arms around me.

"You once told me I looked like a girl wearing them," he tried to remind me.

"I know but I don't think that anymore…" I said, kissing his neck.

"If this is the reaction I get from wearing them, I'm never taking them off," he told me, tilting my chin up, to kiss me. "Okay, lets go, so we can get back sooner…" he said winking. I laughed as he pulled me out into the main room, and passed me a black zip-up knit sweater, and my leather jacket. I shot him a questioning look. "Humor me…its February."

"I don't get cold that easily, you know," I said, pulling it on.

"Shut up…just wear the sweater," he said, pulling his jacket on. I scowled at him, and forced my arms the rest of the way through the sweater, then did the same with my jacket, grabbing my purse from the hook, and walking out the door. I heard him running behind me, then I felt myself being snatched up, into his arms and he kissed all over my face.

"Dweeb," I said, hitting him in the shoulder, with a forced frown suppressing my smile.

"You know you definitely have a thing for dweebs," he told me, putting me down and taking my hand.

"Oh yes, obviously," I answered, swinging our hands.

We took the subway to the train station for Versailles, and took that train an hour out to the castle. Really, I had heard it was huge, but when you see it, you're breath manages to escape you. The grounds are extremely expansive, and stretch for hundreds of acres. King Louis even had his own personal chapel built -- and everything in all parts of the palace was gold; fences, couches, even frames around paintings. The king and queen and their children and friends really defined "living the opulent life". And I had thought my family lived lavishly -- they were minimal compared to the life of the royalty of France. After our quick tour of the castle, Jacob and I walked the grounds for about two hours. Then he rented a little row boat and bought us ice-creams. We rowed out onto the pond and pulled the oars in to float around a little.

I had been anxious for some time about when Jake was going to ask about Italy, I just hadn't been expecting it…I guess I hoped he wouldn't ask for years. Obviously, that wasn't happening.

"Do you want to talk about Italy…I mean, I'm just wondering if you need to get something off your chest, I don't want to hear anything you don't want to say," he said, taking a bite of his strawberry ice cream.

"I don't mind, I guess. What exactly about it do you want to hear?" I asked, finishing off my cone.

"Is there anything specific you had in mind?"

"Not really…I'll just start from the beginning. I was out running, and I stopped at the Headlands to take a break before I was coming home…" I paused…just come here," I said, opening my arms and pulling him into me. He shook his head, and pulled me back to him, and I smiled. I placed my hand on his shoulder and showed him.

_I was in the Headlands, then I passed out._

Jake held my hand in his, interlocking our fingers as I laid on top of him in our little row boat.

_There were groggy images from the plane before I passed out again._

A few more images of me on the plane came in and out -- they we me slowly realizing something was wrong.

_The first time I woke up in Italy showed, and I could feel my face get hot with tears like they had that day._

There were the other time they spoke to me, and when they had Collin start to bring me into the village.

_Then, it was the first night Collin came into my room -- but just him coming in and shoving me onto the bed._

Jacob's hand released mine, and he wrapped it tightly around me protectively as some of the other images like that played. I didn't have the heart to show him what Collin did after that.

_Finally, it was me leaping into Jacob's arms the day he was there._

Jacob looked at me, not saying anything. I gave him a sad smile…I would have rathered not ever show him any of that, but he wanted to know, and I wasn't going to keep it to myself and keep him in the dark. He looked like he had too many things to say to even be able to speak.

"Jake, it's okay," I said, kissing his collar bone.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again, you know," he said. I nodded.

"I'm sorry, was that too much?" I asked.

"No, baby, its okay. Its better that I know, I think. I understand everything more. And I want to kill them," he said, rubbing my back. I cuddled my head into his chest. "You know how much I love you?"

"Maybe," I answered.

"Come on, I want to take you to get something to eat," he told me, sitting me up, and picking up the oars.

"I just had ice cream," I told him, grumpily sitting back.

"I want real food in you," he countered, bringing us back to the dock.

He took me out, away from Versailles, to the train station, and back to France. He brought me to this cute little American café thing with the Blues Brothers and Elvis everywhere. He made me eat a burger, then he brought me back to the hotel, and got me snacks from room service just to keep around the room, and sat with me on his lap on the couch while I ate and watched tv. I thought he was over-reacting a little to this -- and forcing me to eat was over doing it.

"Babe, I'm full, I cannot eat one more thing or I'm going to pass out," I told him, scooting off of his lap, and onto the couch, placing my bowl of Oreo's on the coffee table.

"Okay," he said, petting my hair.

"I mean…I think I'll pop. What's with the real food business, that was weeks ago," I said.

"I really don't know, if you were to get really upset or break down about it I at least wanted you to have eaten something before you go into a comatose," he replied. I smiled at him, and touched his cheek.

"You're such a good husband," I told him. "But I'm okay -- I'm out of there, and I have you, and I'm happy."

"I'm glad that you're happy," he told me, twisting our fingers together. "So I can imagine you don't want dinner tonight?"

"You got it babe. I would however enjoy my husband taking me on the Seine River cruise tonight, and he might get to see the La Perla piece later on…" I suggested, trailing off and running my hand down his chest.

"Your husbands thinks you have a deal…tell you what. You put the La Perla under the clothes and the skirt you have on, and I will go make a reservation," he said, standing up, and going over to the phone.

"You got it," I said, skipping from the couch into our room. I quickly pulled off my clothes, and replace my boring underwear with some sexy little black ones, and put on my black lingerie. Then I pulled on my peasant skirt and outfit again, and went over to my little travel jewelry box. I switched out my moonstone earrings for the chandelier earrings and necklace Jacob gave me for my birthday. Tip-toeing back out into the main room, I saw Jacob just hanging up the phone. I ran into a jump and landed on his back. He chuckled as I leaned my head against the back of his neck.

"You're like a child, you know," he told me, turning his head, to the side and almost looking at me.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway," I countered. He smiled.

"I guess I do."

"On y vas," I said, jumping down and snatching his hand.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Let's go…you need to take a crash course in French, babe," I said.

"Whatever. You know the tour isn't for another hour," he said.

"Well we have to get there on time, don't we?" I said, trying to pull him out the door.

"How about we go to that little shop where the gypsy girls were selling silver? I have to get something for the girls," he said, walking out the door. Ah, the girls -- Jacob's favorite nieces. Rachel had gotten pregnant after spending some time in Montreal and going to local clubs, and ended up with two beautiful twin girls. Billy was pretty mad, but he loved his first two little grandbabies. Jacob adored the hell out of them, spoiling them rotten, and I have to say, they were very beautiful, now aged to eleven.

"Okay. Then we have to hurry over to the boat -- and I'm sure you'll buy them a million more things while we are here," I said as we got into the elevator.

Jacob picked out two little Eiffel tower charms for their charm bracelets he had made them, that were well stocked thanks to him. I picked out different little things for them as well, including different earrings for both of them, and a heart and a star on separate chains. We put everything in my oversized purse, and left. We caught the boat just at the motor was starting, and picked two seats near the bow. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I leaned into him as we enjoyed our sunset tour on the river.

"This is awesome, Jake," I said. He smiled down to me and kissed my forehead.

"Doesn't even compare to you," he said. I giggled.

"Did you just call me awesome?" I asked.

"A little bit," he answered.

After the tour, we walked slowly back to our hotel, and took the elevator up to our room. When we got there, I skipped into our room and shut the door, locking it so Jacob could not see me. I took off my other clothes, leaving myself in my little lace dress and underwear. I danced around the room, tossing clothing in the closet and turning the lights down. There was a knock on the door from the hall, and I heard Jacob answer it. I lit the candelabra on the mantel above the fireplace, and finally went back over to the door, and poked my head out.

"Babe…?" I called. There was no answer. I walked out into the main room, and saw Jacob leaning back against the texting someone on his phone. "Jacob --" I said, walking up behind him. I ran my hands over his shoulders and down his chest. "Come on, babe." He turned around and looked up and down my body.

"Uh, you may want to put some clothes on…or a robe," he said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, coming around the couch. Jacob turned towards the little kitchenette. My dad walked out then, covered his eyes and walked back into the kitchenette area.

"His flight got cancelled -- it's supposed to storm tonight," Jacob explained as I darted into the bathroom to get my robe.

"Sorry, Nessie. I figured I might as well come back here until I can get out of here," my dad called into the bathroom. I tugged on a robe and looked in the mirror -- my face was bright red. _My dad just saw me in a lace nightgown coming on to my husband…this is going to be a week from hell_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry lovelies. I've been very busy, and I had this huge Lit Project, and I have not really had a chance to finish this chapter. Its a little bit of a cliffie, and if you do not want to read the lemon next chapter, then don't read the next chapter. I haven't written one for this story yet, and I feel its long overdue. Reviews inspire me... Enjoy! **

One week. I had only been on my honeymoon one week so far. My dad had also been on my honeymoon for one week, and it was beginning to get frustrating. The weather had been really bad, and my dad could not get a flight. I kept asking why he didn't visit friends elsewhere, but he wanted to spend time with his daughter, he said. I never got to be _alone_ with my husband after our first night here. I begged him to leave us alone and when he finally would, we ended up not getting around to anything, then my dad would show up like two hours early for something we were supposed to do together, with a stupid grin on his face.

"If you really want Jacob and I to go home dad, we will, but that won't stop us," I said, arguing with him one day.

"I don't want you to leave, I'm just waiting for a flight to Port Angeles," he said.

"Dad, there have been 6 flights to Washington in the past week!" I yelled.

"I want to go straight to Port Angeles -- my car is there," he said.

"No one is going to steal the shitty old Volvo in the hour it would take you to run there from anywhere else," I pointed out.

"Do not insult my car," he countered. "I had that car when…"

"You met mom, I know -- but come on! This is our honeymoon, Dad."

"I understand, sweetheart," he said.

"You obviously don't," I growled. "Or you wouldn't be here. Don't you want to be at home with your wife, who wants you home?"

"Nessie…"

"Can't you at least leave us alone for a night? We're _married_ Dad -- its not like we're Romeo and Juliet running off and sleeping together behind our family's backs. Both Billy, and you all know about us, and I'm not spending my entire honeymoon with you breathing down my neck every second!" I said, pointing to the door.

"Renesmee, will you stop yelling?" he said under his breath.

"When you leave. That way I can be with my husband," I said, growling. Jacob had taken himself for a visit to the Musee D'Orsay to avoid this fighting today. I was upset that he had to do this all on his own, but I needed to get rid of my dad because I _needed_ him.

"I don't want to hear that Nessie," he said.

"Well, expect it from me -- I cannot believe you!" I said thundering off into my room, slamming the door. I picked up my cell phone -- newly acquired for international calls -- and dialed my home phone. Emmet picked up. _Oh great, here we go_.

"Hey kid -- what's up?" he said after I said hi.

"Can I talk to my mother please?" I asked. I heard air whooshing past the phone (he had tossed it), then I heard her.

"Hi baby," she said.

"Come get him!" I cried into the phone.

"How exactly do you propose I do that?" she asked.

"Take the yacht and get over here or something! I can't take this!" I said loudly into the phone.

"Honey, we've been over this…I can't take a yacht across the Atlantic then swoop down to the Mediterranean and leave it there. I would have to take a train from Nice to Paris. I am not leaving your grandfather's boat in a dock in Nice while I'm all the way across the country," she informed me.

"Mo-om!" I groaned.

"Let me talk to him," she said, so I opened my door and stormed out into the living room. I threw the phone at my dad's head but he turned like lightning and caught it. I trenched back into my room, and I heard my dad chattering, and complaining to my mother.

"Bella, it's not because of that…I want to get my car," he said. "Yes, I do care that much about my car…No you cannot "just go get it for me". Bella, I'll just wait for the right…" he got cut off. "Ugh, Bella don't do this." Then I heard a click as the phone snapped shut.

There was a knock on my bedroom door, and I knew it was my dad, and he knew that I knew he was there -- I don't know why he bothered with such formalities.

"In order to keep myself from seeing my daughter in close to nothing again," he said, answering my thoughts. "Listen, I'll go somewhere else, England maybe to visit Carlisle's friends, considering you hate me and don't want me around."

"Daddy, don't say that, I love you, but you're a pain in the ass. Why couldn't you have done that at the beginning of the week?" I asked.

"Nessie, you wouldn't understand…"

"Dad, I have had the brain capacity of Stephen Hawking since I was 9, I think I can understand pretty much anything," I said.

"Nessie…"

"Just tell me dad," I demanded.

"I was worried about you two sleeping together, getting married and sleeping together. Carlisle is not as concerned as I think he should be, but he won't look into it no matter how much I ask." He took a pause, with a deep breath. "Nessie, you should really not have children with Jacob."

"Are you kidding me?" I yelled. "Get the hell out of here, now. Telling me not to have children with my husband. You are fucking out of your mind. He would not have imprinted on me if we couldn't have children," I said, grabbing him by the shirt.

"Renesmee, please don't get irrational. I'm not saying you can't have children, I'm just saying that you shouldn't," he said.

"I'm not listening to you dad, what you're saying is irrational. I would not have been placed in this situation if higher powers did not think I was equipped to handle it," I said, yanking him out of my hotel room and out into the hallway. "You do me a favor, and stay out of my life dad, let me make my own decisions. Jacob and I will live our lives however we want to," I told him, as I slammed the door in his face.

"Renesmee, don't be like that, just let me explain it to you," he said.

"Go away, Edward!" I yelled through the door, before taking my phone from the table and calling Jacob. "Come here, please," I said as he picked up the phone.

"I'll be there is ten minutes, baby," he said, not even knowing the situation, but just hearing my tone of voice. I sighed as he hung up, and I knew my dad was still outside. I jumped on the couch and waited. In a few minutes -- like 6 -- I heard Jacob outside, talking to my dad, asking what was wrong. My dad didn't say anything about what he had told me. I stood and opened the door, pulling Jacob in and slamming it again in my dad's face.

"What did he say?" I asked a very confused Jacob.

"That you were being immature about something and not hearing his side of the story," Jake said, taking my hands in his. "What's the matter?"

"He told me that you and I should never have kids and that's why he's not leaving," I explained. Jacob looked confused again. "He doesn't want us to have a family."

"I don't get it," Jake said.

"My dad is trying to keep us from sleeping together because he's afraid of me getting pregnant," I said trying to make it more simple.

"But we're married," he tried to rationalize.

"And we're…" I said, starting to lift my voice so my dad could hear us even though I knew he could already, "PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF MAKING OUR OWN DECISIONS."

"Renesmee, if you would just listen to me I might be able to prove my point," Edward said from the hallway.

"Your opinion holds no power over me," I yelled out to him. "Can you just get rid of him please, Jake?" He sighed.

"I hate to have to do this to you Edward --" he started, going to the door, and opening it just a crack. "I know she's your daughter, and you know I respect you, but if you don't leave now, I'm going to have to do something I'll regret."

"Jacob Black, do not tell me…"

"Listen Edward, I'm only doing this because she asked me to get rid of you. To tell the truth, you have been very intrusive, and whatever Nessie decides she wants with her life is what she will get. You have no say in anything she does, and you have no right to come here to try to keep two married people apart because you're afraid of what might come of it," Jacob said, opening the door completely when he was sure that Edward wouldn't come barging into the room. I came up behind him and peeked around his torso.

"Just go, dad," I said. He looked at me.

"I love you, Renesmee, and I only want what's best for everyone, okay?" he said, before turning to leaving. Jacob went out in the hall, and made sure my dad actually left before he turned around and looked at me.

"You called me away from Monet to tell your father off?" he asked. I groaned.

"Do not tell me your are on his side about…"

"Of course not, Nessie," he cut me off. I smiled.

"Good, because I want to have children eventually and I want them to be yours," I said, touching his cheek.

"Oh, mine? Really…That's interesting. I always thought that you might want to have Joe Jonas' children," he said, coming up and pulling me into his chest.

"No…well, maybe," I joked. He kissed my forehead. "In all truthfulness, I want nothing more than to have a family someday, eventually. Maybe in a few years."

"That's works for me, baby," he said. I stood up on my toes and kissed him.

"Thank you for getting rid of my father for me," I said. He smiled.

"It actually works in my favor too. I have something planned for us," he said.

"For what?" I asked.

"Our one week anniversary," he answered. _Oh my god -- I spaced_.

"Already? Damn, I feel stupid," I said, running my hand through my hair.

"Stupid…Why?"

"I have been married to you a week and I didn't even notice," I said. "I feel like such an ass."

"Nessie, come on. Don't treat yourself like that. He was here and you were trying to get rid of him," Jacob said, trying to make the situation better.

"Babe, I'm sorry -- I would have planned something too," I said.

"Hey, then it would conflict with my plans," he said, kissing my forehead again.

"And what exactly are we doing?" I asked.

"I can't tell you that," he told me.

"What do I wear?" I asked.

"I think we'll need to go shopping first," he said. "I don't think you have anything I want you to wear -- but put your things in your bags first. Then we're going to pick out something for you to wear. The week has given me a lot of time to schedule everything out."

"You sound very sure of yourself," I told him.

"I am, now go put on a nicer outfit. We're picking some things up on the Champs Elysees, then you have to get ready, and after that a car will pick you up and bring you to me," he said.

"Nicer clothing to go buy clothing?" I asked.

"We also have a jewelry appointment at Cartier," he said.

"You're crazy," I told him.

"Yes I am," he said, then kissed me quickly on the lips then pushed me into my room. I smiled and pulled on a white sweater dress with grey leggings. I pulled the hair tie out of my hair and rearranged it into a braid, then pulled it over my shoulder. Pulling everything from my drawers and the closet space, I packed it all away quickly. I put my scrunch boots back on, and came out of my room. Jacob had my jacket and my purse in his hand, and led me out the door and down the stairs.

He took me to Versace in Paris, and had me pick something out. I kept telling him he was overdoing this for just the one week anniversary, but he insisted. I picked out a simple black dress, a turquoise one, and a white & green one all with shoes. Then a driver picked us up and brought us to Cartier. We walked in an immediately, one of the girls behind the counter came up to us.

"Mr. Black, Mrs. Black, welcome. I'm Melanie" she chimed, gesturing to herself, looking at me. "…You're Early, how wonderful," she said. I smiled.

"Hi Melanie," Jacob said.

"So what exactly were you looking for today, again? I know you told me, but its has been so busy with spring coming up so soon," she asked.

"Her own engagement ring. I found this one," he said, holding up my hand. "In an antique shop near our home…and it was more of a promise ring. And her wedding band was a last minute decision before the wedding -- I want something different."

"Jake I like my rings," I said.

"And I want her to have a real engagement ring -- We're already married, I would just like her to have her own ring, and I want her to love her wedding band" he continued.

"Did you have anything in mind?" she asked.

"I saw something yesterday, but I want her to look…Can we have the catalogue?" he asked her, and she smiled, bouncing away to get the try of sample rings. Jake and I were seated on a small couch with a chair opposite of it, and given flukes of champagne. I didn't want to act like an asshole, so I took a few sips -- but I really didn't like it. Melanie brought the tray back out and set it on the little table in front of me.

"Jake, I can't do this, I love my rings -- this is betrayal," I said.

"Nessie, I hate looking at the wedding band, it really doesn't fit you," he said. I twisted my simple platinum band on my finger. Jacob's and my rings were exactly the same and that's how I liked it. "Show her the square Ballerine ring, please," he said to Melanie. She smiled…the had planned this. She pulled out an intricately set diamond ring, with a square cut diamond in the center, and little swirls of the metal coated in diamonds coming off the sides. The whole band was coated too, sparkling. I grinned at him.

"Jake, this is beautiful," I said, slipping it on my finger after removing my other ring. "But it doesn't feel right with my other ring."

"Which is why we will have that one melted down into part of the band for your ring. Yours is going to have a thicker band than this one…It's going to be made and brought to us," he told me.

"To the hotel?" I asked.

"In Nice," he said.

"…Nice?" I questioned.

"Why do you think you picked out summer dresses? Its warm in Nice," he said.

"We're going to Nice?" I asked again.

"Yes, Nessie. We're taking a private train car to Nice tonight. It's a sleep on the train thing…" he explained. I smiled.

"You're melting down my ring and we're going to Nice…This is an interesting turn of events," I said. He looked concerned.

"Do you not want to go? I don't care -- I just thought it might be nice to get out of the cold, and go gambling, maybe some shopping in Monaco," he said.

"No, I want to go -- I've just never been before, I'm excited," I told him. "I love you, you always surprise me."

"I love you more…enough to plan to take you shopping in Monaco. I must be crazy," he told him, kissing my forehead.

"So they're bringing my ring to Nice?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Ack!" I screamed, jumping onto his lap and kissing him. I kept going until Melanie cleared her throat. Embarrassed, I pulled myself away from him, and fixed my braid over my shoulder. "Sorry," I muttered. He sat me back next to him as he passed the card over to the girl, and stood me up by the hand.

"Okay, now we have to go now. The car should be outside, to take us to the train," he said. "We have our own car on the train -- and we need to have it stocked, so we're stopping at a Monoprix first to grab snacks for the night."

"You're so amazing," I told him.

"I really had this all planned so we could get away from your dad…now I guess its just another part of the honeymoon," he admitted. I grinned.

"You went through all of this to get Edward out of my hair?" I asked, softly, wrapping my arms around his torso. "You really are amazing."

"I like to think so, too," he replied and kissed the top of my head. "Oh, I have another gift for you…Melanie?"

"Right here, Mr. Black," she said, gently passing him an 8 inch black box. I looked at him.

"Jake, I have enough jewelry to last ten people a million lifetimes," I told him with a sigh.

"No, I didn't buy this…I paid for it to be…well, _adjusted_," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"That necklace that your dad gave you…I took it a few days ago, when you were yelling at him, and I brought it here. On special request, they fixed it," he explained, opening the lid, and showing me a little white gold bracelet in the box, of a half bangle and a chain. I smiled at him and took the little thing from the box.

"This is my necklace?" I asked.

"Every piece. I had it melted down and molded. Oh, here it got flipped over," he said, flipping the bangle part over. It said _Jacob Black is here to stay_.

"JAKE!" I said, pulling it out of the box and putting it around my wrist. "Here, help me. Close it," I told him practically bouncing.

"We had to add a little white gold to it because the pendant wasn't enough…you like it?" he asked.

"I love it…its probably the best gift ever -- and will make Edward fume," I said.

"That's why I did it," he said, smiling. "I'm glad you like it."

"Of course I like it. You turned the virgin necklace into the _I don't give a damn about you, dad_ bracelet," I said, admiring it on my wrist.

"Okay, now we're going to be late. I can see the car outside," he said, pulling me with him, after snatching his card from Melanie, and leaving her 75 euros on the table. He pulled me outside, and we slipped into the back of a black street car for a 15 minute drive to the train station. When we got there, he pulled me out after him and onto our train. The attendants directed us straight to our own car.

It was like a mini hotel. There were two rooms and a bathroom, all luxuriously furnished. Everything looked warm and golden. The bed-cabin part had a large, plush looking bed, with a big coat of arms on the footboard. Everything was very lavish.

"Jacob -- I would have been fine in a regular car…" I tried to say. Our bags had been placed on the chaise at the foot of the bed, and I walked over to them awkwardly.

"Oh, nobody remembers that wolves once completely covered Europe. I have a few family members I met when we were here last time…when I was gone those few days, remember?" he asked. I nodded slowly remembering those few days without him I tried to forget. "Well, I tracked them down in Monaco. I went to visit them -- quite funny actually -- turns out they are in the Grimaldi family. Not the ones in crown now, but their cousins," he explained.

"Grimaldi? Like -- the original monarchs?" I asked. He smiled.

"And this whole time I thought I was just some lowly wolf kid from Washington," he said, laughing.

"And what are you to them? Like, a cousin?" I asked.

"They were my mom's second cousins, on her father's side. He came to Washington from Romania, after traveling around here for some time," Jacob told me.

"So you're like what, some kind of Duke or something?" I questioned.

"Would it make you angry is I wasn't?" he asked.

"No, I like my backwoods boy," I answered.

"Then I'm not going to say anything," he said. I spun quickly and made eye contact with him. He shrugged with a grin on his face.

"Are you kidding me?" I almost yelled. He shook his head. "And you didn't tell me for years because…?"

"Ehh, never came up. Plus, its not like it means anything to me. I'm not in line for anything unless like thirty people get whacked, then I officially rule practically the smallest country in the world."

"And you didn't feel the need to say anything to your then girlfriend?" I asked him.

"I didn't want anything to be different between us," he explained.

"Nothing could ever happen between us that does anything but bring us closer, babe," I told him, sitting on the bed and pulling him with me by the shirt.

"I course I know that now, Nessie, but you were younger then. I didn't want to change the way you felt about me before we were actually in a relationship. Plus, I didn't want you parents feeling as though they had somewhere else to put me to keep us away from each other while you were doing the _puberty_ thing," he said, leaning over me, resting on his knees, with one between my legs, and the other to the right of them, and on one hand, with the other in my hair.

"So, explain to me," I said after a little while of just looking at each other's faces. "I can't escape you people can I?"

"Us people?" he questioned.

"Yes, you people. Wealthy people, royal people, perfect people. You all a keeping me from being a normal girl," I told him, touching his face -- pictures of my perfect family swimming in a pool of money, with Jacob sitting on the side wearing a crown and carrying a scepter flashed through my mind. He chuckled.

"Ness, it's not like that. I mean, I don't have a scepter," he joked. I hit his chest. "No, I'm playing. Ness, its not ever going to mean anything to me -- plus, my mother's family all but relinquished the throne by coming over to Washington and mixing with _impure_ blood. The only reason I'm only 30th in line is because the Grimaldi's are such a small family." I stared at his face for another period of time. I played with his hair, twisting the ridiculously long, scraggly locks around my fingers, sections at a time.

"Can I cut your hair?" I asked. He looked at me with a perplexed look on his face.

"Huh?"

"You know, like, can I give you a hair cut? It's such a mess, and I really like it when it's neat because like this, it looks like you haven't looked in a mirror in twenty years," I said. He stopped and looked at me, then let out a frustrated sigh. "If you don't want me to cut it…"

"No, its not that," he said. "I don't mind that…In fact, I'd enjoy that."

"So what is it then, babe?" I asked.

"Nothing," he answered, standing up, and going out of the room. I stood up, and followed quickly after him.

"Jake…what's wrong?" I asked, finding him sitting on the widened couch, large enough to sleep on like a twin bed, flipping through some fashion magazine he probably picked up to distract himself.

"Ness, I'm fine," he answered.

"No, you're not. I know you better than that. You distract yourself from a situation by ignoring the problem and leaving the room. Then you sulk for a week or until I pry it out of you," I said, sitting down next to him. "Now tell me what the problem is."

"It's just that…" he said, then paused. "Twenty years. That's almost half my lifetime. And you're not even half my age. I mean, I don't feel older, or look older -- it just bothers me that you have so much more life to live and I feel like I'm all lived out." I touched my hand to his face again as a sign of affection.

"Jacob, my father is almost 90 years older than my mother," I told him. "And so what if you feel like you're all lived out? We'll find a way to do new things -- live a few years all over Europe, learn every language we can, eventually we'll have kids, that'll be a new experience. I promise I wont let you get bored so easily…"

"I mean, Nessie, I just feel like you need someone who has had less life lived -- someone your own age. All you dad knew was that he wanted to be in the army. He didn't have anything but a big family until he met your mother…that he could remember. I have a family, and nieces, and I have loved; I just feel like you should start off with a slate…start with someone new," he explained, gesturing with his hands.

"Jake, I don't care about any of that. It's okay that you have lived you life -- I couldn't dream of being with any person who did any less than you. Did you know, that when you first came to see my mother when she was carrying me that I knew your voice already? I knew you and I were supposed to have each other. My mother and I had this insane connection, and I think that's what gave me my gift. She gave me some of her memories of you, and that's how I knew you," I told him. He looked up from the magazine, and into my eyes. "No matter how much life you have already lived, I don't want any other person in your position. You are my husband, and I love you, okay?" He nodded.

"You had a connection with your mom?" he asked after a minute of looking happy.

"Yes -- almost everything she saw, I saw, and everything she thought came through my mind," I told him, running my hand along his arm.

"What was she thinking when your dad had me try to talk her down?" he asked. I raised and eyebrow at him. "When he had me try to convince your mother not to have you…"

"Oh…Uhm, I really don't remember. I think it was -- that she knew you could never make her inflict that kind of pain on her heart and you would never force her to give up her child," I told him.

"I'm glad I didn't. Life without you -- I'd be following your mom everywhere," he said, laying on his side next to me. Then, a loud whistling noise sounded, and an attendant came in to our car, then stepped back and started muttering.

"Oh! Pardon moi, monsieur, mademoiselle…je n'ai pas su quelqu'un etait dedans ici. Je suis tres, tres desolee," she said, backing out into the hall. Jacob looked at me.

"She didn't know there were people here. Ne vous inquietez pas. Est le train partant maintenant?" I asked her.

"Oui, madamemoiselle. Je vérifiais juste pour m'assurer que les portes étaient dedans ici sûres. Si vous avez besoin de quelque chose, appuyez sur le bouton ici. Encore, je suis desolee. Bon voyage monsieur et madamoiselle," she said, pointing to a buzzer on the wall and leaving. I looked at Jacob confused as to why she was so worried about interrupting us.

"They know that only the Grimaldi family and their closest acquaintances use this car. Most of the time, its not in use, so they get used to it just being empty," he explained, going over and making sure the door was secure. I heard the railway start to slip away beneath us, and rumbles ripped through the cabin. I leaned back on the couch, and propped myself up on my elbows. "I don't like the treatment but they're family…you should meet them."

"They'll let me into the palace, just like that?" I asked.

"…Maybe," he said, tapping his chin. "No, they've met your grandfather before, they'll let you in if your with me."

"Good to know that there's one place where you can get in, where I can't," I told him.

"Are you kidding me? They know your dad too. One look at you, and you're in," he said.

"The Grimaldi's are wolves then?" I asked.

"Well, they know they have it in their blood, but they don't come into contact enough with vampires to actually phase. It's too bright down here for the them -- they'd be found and the Italians would come, then there would be a problem. Though, there's one cousin who married into the family from Bucharest, she phases but she's loupe garou so she can without the vampires," he told me, coming back over to the couch and laying next to me.

"Oh," was all I said. I guess it was kind of settling in that my husband was not just the normal…well as normal as you can get with a werewolf, but the normal boy I always thought he was.

"Nessie, don't worry, they are just family. It's not like I'm going to become the Monaguese king," he said. "But, you know -- now that we're married, you've officially a Monaguese duchess."

"Oh wonderful, that's what I've been waiting for -- to find out that I am a duchess of some small little foreign country where I don't even speak the language," I said, flipping myself over onto my stomach. I turned my head, and looked out the window. Paris was flying by at about 80 miles per hour. I watches the city skyline fade into the distance as we disappeared into our journey. I felt fingers lithely moving across the small of my back. I grinned as I felt Jacob flip over and lie close to me with my hand drawing little circles on my back. I turned and smiled at him, then leaned into him. He kissed my temple, and rested his chin on my head.

"I love you," he whispered, looking out the opposite window.

"I love you," I said. "A million times more."

"Hey, who imprinted on who here?" he said, chuckling, and bringing his head down to be eye level with me. I turned my head back to look out the window.

"I look at you like this, and all I want to say is 'Let's get married', but we've already done that," I told him, twisting my fingers into the hair behind his ear.

"I'd marry you a million times over," he replied, rolling onto his back and pulling me onto his chest. I smiled and pressed my face into his throat, and kissed his collarbone. I pulled my head up to his face and kissed his chin, then his cheek bones, then his forehead. Before I could pull my lips away, I was on my back, and Jacob's mouth was on mine. He held my hands down, tightly against my sides. I struggled to pull them free, but he wouldn't have it. I groaned at him, it was all I could do considering he was keeping capture of my mouth, and my hands. He pinned my legs down with his, and kept kissing me before pulling away for a second.

"Babe, can I have my hands please?" I pleaded. He removed his hands halfway, going back to kissing me. I pulled at my hands, trying to break free. I managed to nudge his legs away from mine, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He got the picture and let go of my hands, then scooped me up as I wrapped my hands around his neck. He lifted me from the rather large couch and brought me into the bedroom, and threw our suitcases to the ground and tossed me on the bed. I scooted myself up near the pillows, but he stopped me, grabbing me by the waist.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, pulling me back against his body. I giggled, but it came out mixed with this half growl, half moan as my hips hit his. Even though we were completely clothed, him in jeans, our bodies still seemed to entice each other. He hastily pulled the hair-tie from the end of my braid, that had already come loose in the course of the day. Then he pulled the sweater dress from around my body, and up over my head. Then he kicked my boots off, then pulled my leggings down. He moved for my bra, but I snatched his hands.

"Hey! You're are completely clothed," I complained, tugging at his shirt. He pulled back, and smiled, pulling his shirt over his head. Then he came back over me and held himself up on the palms of his hands. I ran my hands down his chest and around his waist to his back. "Better…"

"You're insatiable, you know that?" he told me, sitting up, and unbuttoning his jeans. I scooted myself back up to the pillows and leaned back, playing with my hair aw I watched him remove his jeans. I grinned when he crawled up to me in nothing but boxers.

"Yes, I do know that, and I enjoy it," I told him. "And I don't want to be naked before I see a little of you skin…How long is this train ride anyway?" I asked.

"About 15 hours on the route we're taking and the speed," he answered.

"Hmm. That's nice," I said. I was about to say something else when I head footsteps coming to the car over the engine. "Jake, someone's coming," I said, jumping up from the bed to find clothes. My robe was in a bag by the door still, and I could get it when I went out there. I ran into the room, just as the door started to open, and I felt my entire body get enveloped in heat. It was Jacob wrapping the blanket from the bed around my body just as the door opened up completely. A boy with a cart of snack foods came inside and looked up, then jumped. He spoke with a thick French accent, but it was in English.

"Oh, I am sorry -- my supervisor said there were people in here, she told me to bring the cart in then leave…" he said backing out of the room.

"Wait," I said, snatching my bag that was on the floor next to me, and pulling my wallet out. I gave him 20 euros. "Sorry…just ring the buzzer next time," I told him. He shot me a nervous smile and nodded, pivoted then left. I turned my head to look at Jacob, and I burst out laughing. I slipped out of Jacob's arms and locked the door, then pulled my robe out of my bag and slipped it on. Jake stood the watching me, and I pushed the cart from the door, and plopped myself back onto the couch.

"So, we don't escape people interrupting us, huh?" he asked, sitting down next to me, still holding the blanket around his body.

"Nope, we don't," I answered, leaning my head against his shoulder. "You know what? I don't care…we're locking the door, and we're going into that room." I stood and went back to the door, and threw the bolt. Then I switched the lock on the door, and practically skipped back into the bedroom. I heard Jake behind me, chuckling as he followed me, now carrying the blanket. I untied the belt on my robe and sat on the chaise at the foot of the bed, with the robe falling off my shoulders slightly. Jacob stood there, leaning in the doorway in the boxers looking at me. "Well…"

"Well…" I groaned.

"Well get your ass over here," I told him, lifting myself from the chaise, and slid up onto our bed, leaving my robe behind. Jacob came over and crawled up next to me, covering us with the blanket as he went. He put his hands under my back, and rolled us over, so I was laying on his chest. He tilted his chin up and kissed me.

"I love you, Ness," he said. Then he kissed me again. I brushed his hair out of his face and stroked his cheek.

"Mmhmm," I said, suddenly taking to kissing his neck. I moved my legs so they were straddling his waist, and I placed my hands on his chest. I lifted up my hips, then brought them back down over his groin area, wiggling around a little before repeating the process. He groaned a little, brining his hands to the small of my back. I reached around, and snatched them, bringing them to his sides. I moved to kiss him for real, dragging his hands on the sheets op above his head. "Two can play keep away," I whispered, before snatching his ear between my teeth, gaining another groan from him.

"You want to play that way, huh?" he asked. I paused for a minute, then I felt myself flat on my back a second later with my bra in the process of being removed.

"Hey!" I half-yelled. "I was enjoying my moment."

"Sorry babe, that doesn't fly with me. You want to play dirty, we're going to play dirty," he informed me, nudging one of his legs between mine and pressing up into me. I moaned loudly, and bit my lip to keep from saying anything that I would not want to have the rest of the train hear.

"Jake…" was all I could manage to say without broadcasting my rather impure thoughts about my husbands around to the rest of the train.

"Yes, darling?" he answered innocently.

"You're killing me babe, please…" I moaned out, gripping on to the sheets of the bed.

"Please…what?" he asked.

"Ugh! Jacob, I'm going to drop dead here!" I complained, feeling the sheet getting very taught in my hand, close to ripping.

"Oh, you want me to take these off?" he asked, running his finger under the band of my underwear. I nodded furiously. He pulled at the elastic, only pulling down that particular point of them, and I hissed at him. He chuckled, and pulled them farther. I got frustrated to the point that I reached down and tore them down feverently. Jacob laughed at me. "A little eager, don't ya think?"

"Yes," I answered, grabbing the elastic band on his boxers. "Take 'em off babe," I instructed, tugging at them. He obliged, slowly sitting up on his knees and pulling them off to his knees, then kicked them off the rest of the way. He tried to lay back down next to me, and before he could kill me with more of his snail paced actions, I shoved him down. He looked amused, until I reached down to his groin, and took hold of him. He inhaled sharply.

"Ness…" he said, exhaling. I traced him up and down with one finger before grasping tightly and tugging at him. "Renesmee…" I smirked at him, pushing him back onto his back, throwing one leg over to his other side.


	7. Chapter 7

*EPOV*

I was on a train into Germany. I had decided to visit there first -- it had been a while since I had visited Amsterdam. I had been kicked out of France by my daughter's fiancé. It was weak of me to be turned away that easily, but I did not want to face the wrath of Jacob for hurting Renesmee's feelings. Jacob was a threat to me, and although I knew he would never completely kill me, he could bring me within an inch on my life quite easily. It would be an interesting situation to describe to Bella, who had told me to keep out of it, and Nessie's life is no longer our responsibility despite how much we love her. I knew that their children would break any treaty between my our kind and Jacob's kind, and make everything between us different. We'll be able to live in peace, and work together -- I just can't help to be worried for them. Any child between them has a 25% chance of being like Renesmee, a 25% chance of being a wolf, and a 50% chance of being completely human. I could not see my daughter torn up when she goes to her child kindergarten graduation, sees them through college, marriage, children, old age and death. I don't think that she or Jacob could go on forever like they're supposed to if their children withered away before their eyes.

We could always change them -- if they wanted it, but I doubted that Renesmee would subject her children to that pain, and make them become what we are, and never to able to have their own families. Plus, the family would become extensively large, and the Volturri would not allow that. Also, Bella nor I could bear to attend our grandchildren's funerals. I was fully content just having my daughter -- it was more than I ever expected. It wasn't my decision, I just prayed that she would follow my advice. I understood that at the rate they were going, it was most likely inevitable that Renesmee and Jacob would end up creating something in the throes of their passion, whether it be human, wolf, or vampire.

"Brussels!" the conductor called. _Just a few more stops_. I gazed out the window, my eyes locking on a man, maybe 25 with blond hair, and the little dirty blonde girl who was latched to his hand. She asked him where mommy was, and he told her she'd be off the train in a minute. Two minutes later, as the last few passenger disembarking at Brussels trickled off, a brunette woman came off and the little girl ran up to her, flinging her arms around the woman's waist and happily yelling.

"Mommy! I missed you!" she said, burying her face into her belly.

"I've only been gone since this morning," she answered, bending over slightly and kissing the little girls head.

"So?" the man asked.

"The doctor said Addie's going to be a big sister," she told him. "To twins." The man smiled and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. The little girl, Addie, squealed and smiled broadly. The engine started, and I saw them chatting as their voices faded into the distance. I wanted the happiness I saw in all of them for my daughter, I just didn't want her to be hurt later on if things don't work out.

Of course, there was always the possibility of the child being a mix between the three things, but it was tricky when dealing with half breed blood, and werewolf blood. With full vampire and werewolf, they singed and bubbled when they made contact. What I was asking of my daughter and Jacob, I guess my son in law now, was to use protection. I mean, it was a little bit annoying for the rest of eternity, but it would spare the pain later -- if only I could convince one or the other of them to believe me, I could soon have both of them agreeing. I could run tests, with their blood -- see what the outcome might be, if they would allow it, but I wasn't in a position with my child to test it. Best was to wait it out.

*JPOV*

I laid there, smiling with my wife straddling my waist. I loved that she was my wife. I didn't say it often, but I liked to think of that little tiny pink baby, who grew into a perfect little girl, then to this gorgeous woman sitting on my waist right now. I was excited for the day when I could meet those kids she had dreamed about when she was in Italy.

But I didn't want to focus of that when I had this impossibly beautiful girl holding onto my, her hand grasped swiftly around one particular part of me, and in doing so, making my day -- so far. I could not wait to be connected to her in our favorite way to be close since we made that discovery. Now, she pulled her one index finger up and down slowly, making me groan.

"Renesmee…" I said again. She flashed me a wicked grin. I was getting anxious to actually be with her for the first time since our wedding night.

"Hmm?"

"You're a little demon," I told her.

"I know, darling," she answered, drawing out the word _darling_, and wrapping her whole hand around me, pulling. I squirmed gaining a chuckle from her as she continued teasing me.

"You know I would do anything you asked me to, right?" I asked her. She nodded. "Consider that clause void right now -- I promise I'll make it up to you," I said, quickly flipping us over. She laughed as her back bounced against the mattress.

"Oh, I think you won't have to worry about making it up to me," she told me, putting her hands on the back of my neck, pulling me towards her, and pressed my face into hers.

"Hmm…I like this -- having my way with you as a way of repaying you…" I trailed off. She looked taken aback. "I just joking Nessie, I adore you way too much to do that to you."

"I know…it just sounds weird coming from you," she said, before pulling my face back down to hers and kissing me strongly. I felt her drag her tongue over my bottom lip, and when I opened my mouth a little, she bit my lip, piercing it a little with her teeth. She had always been…I don't know, attracted I guess, to my blood. I watched her eyes roll back in her head as a tiny drop of my blood slipped over her lips and into her mouth. When she refocused her vision, her eyes were the most beautiful sandy chocolate color, with their sparkle of green she had developed when she was younger. I loved the color of her eyes when she tasted my blood -- they seemed to get my heart beating at twice its normal speed, and made me the most aroused I could be, which was difficult when she was younger, when she was fully matured but still only 10 years old was the first time it happened. I had the biggest urge to kiss her, then, but it was too soon…That was one rough night for specific parts of my body. I was glad now, that I could do with her whatever we pleased.

Her eyes were practically glowing up to me, in the late afternoon light coming in flashes from between trees through the windows. I had to touch her lips again, with mine -- so I did. I felt her sucking on my lip again looking for more blood, but the wound was mostly healed. She got a little from me, before the wound sealed itself completely back up. I kissed her roughly again, putting my hands on her waist and arched her up into me. She tangled her fingers into my hair on the back of my head. She pulled away and made eye contact with me…those eyes…

"Please," she pleaded. I kissed her forehead. "Please…" she said again, with more need. I leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. She whined her final "Please…" to me, with a groan. It sounded like she was going to cry. I brought one hand down from her waist to the one region of her body that she begged me to ease. I placed my whole hand over her heated area. She moaned and squirmed underneath me. I liked this, my wife completely naked and squirming underneath me, just begging me to touch her more. I leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

"Please what, baby?" I asked, with a taunting smirk. She groaned and glared at me with enough power to kill. I took that as _Take your hand away and proceed with the late afternoon dirty love session_. I took my hand away from her center, and pinched at the delicate button of nerves right above that area. She took in a breath that sounded like it would come out as a yell, but end ended up pressing her face to mine and moaning quite loudly into my mouth. I twisted my fingers a little, and her entire body arched up into me. I loved feeling so close that I could feel her heart beating in my own chest. I moved my fingers around again before letting go of her, and she fell away from me back against the bed. Her face and chest were flushed and her eyes were glowing even brighter than before.

"Jake…come on -- its been a week," she complained. I feigned shock.

"Little Miss 'Wait 'til I'm 18' has turned into 'Little Miss Insatiable'," I said, mockingly. She hit me on the chest. "Oh, let me get right to it -- after all, a whole week, you just might die if we engage in a little foreplay."

"Actually, I just might," she told me, grabbing my hips, and pulling them towards her core. I smiled at her, kissing her one more time while I pushed myself into her. She made a sound -- it wasn't a moan, but more like pleasant humming. She reached her hands up over he head as she opened herself up wider. She closed her eyes and kept humming. I tried to keep watching her face, but I couldn't, and I ended up tilting my head back, and groaning.

*NPOV*

When I opened my eyes to the sound of Jacob groaning, I saw the most beautiful creature in the world arched back with his head turned up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, crossing my ankles daintily over the small of his back. The lower half of my torso picked up a little off of the bed, then I felt eyes on me. I looked into his face and saw that delicious eyes the color of black coffee looking back into mine. I put my hand on his cheek, while my other hand occupied itself with tracing the ripples in his chest and stomach. He smiled down to me. Just having him inside of me was enough for me -- but I knew it wasn't going to last. He ran a hand down my cheek, to the side of my breast, then came to rest gently on my hip. Then I wanted movement, but I wanted him to enjoy it a little more than I did. I pushed with all of my strength to roll us over, and he fought it, but I won. We were still joined, and when I adjusted myself on him, before leaning in to kiss him, he got the idea. _Fun with new positions_, I thought, telling Jacob through a gentle touch to the side of the neck as I kissed him. When I pulled back, he was grinning like mad. I used my knees and my hands (brace on his chest) to lift my hips a little, then brought them back down slowly onto Jacob's hard self. I could see his eyes roll back a little.

"Ness…" he hissed. I silenced him by rolling my hips a little before repeating my previous motion. He gritted his teeth as I continued riding him, then leaning in to plant kisses all over his neck while I kept moving my hips. His arms encircled my waist and he placed his hands just behind my hip bones on my sides.

"You having fun, Mr. Black?" I asked, biting down on his earlobe next to his earring. His teeth sunk into his lip and he nodded. "Anything else I can do for you?" I asked, kissing the small space between his ear and his cheek between the words. He didn't do anything. "Mr. Black?"

"I don't…ugh…Nessie…" he said. I ground my hips down into his, and clamped myself around him. "Renesmee…"

"Yes, Mr. Black?" I answered, softly. I twisted my pelvis, while spiraling my grip around him. Then I was flat on my back again, and he was pumping himself in and out of me like lightning. I tried to suppress a gasp, but it turned out coming out differently: "Jaa-cco-bbb". My bare chest was bouncing with each thrust he made. "Jaaa-kkkke…oh my goddddd," I got out between almost ripping the sheets with my fingertips. He pushed my legs up into a bent position, the opened my legs wider. He placed his hands on opposite sides of my head, looking into my eyes.

The second I saw the fire behind his eyes I felt my stomach tighten, and I felt myself coming to the edge -- my jaw fell open and my eyes tightened shut. My hand flew up to around his neck, and I pulled him down into a kissed as he got harder. I felt those familiar jolts in my abdomen and I eyes opened as I gasped when the most powerful release I had felt since my first time with Jacob. I felt him coming to and end too, and I just laid there, kissing him shuddering as he fell over the edge -- shooting out inside of me and making me feel that familiar warmth in my lower stomach. He collapsed next to me, and wrapped his whole body around me. I smiled as he used his hand to brush little hairs out of my face.

"Are you tired, baby?" I asked him, placing my hands on his chest and dragging them down to the little trail of hair that led down to his shaft.

"Not really, just hot," he said. "Why, you hungry?"

"No, I want to try something else," I said. "It's just out of character for me I guess, but I've kind of wanted to give it a go since before we even slept together the first time."

"I'm game for anything Ness," he said. "What is it?"

"Um…well…" I started. "It's too weird -- I can't say it," I told him. It was too awkward for me to say.

"Renesmee…" he said, slowly, using one finger to tilt my chin up. "Tell me."

"Iwanttotryitdoggystyle," I said quickly. He looked at me -- he caught what I was saying no matter how fast I spoke.

"You want to try that?" he questioned. I nodded. "You sure?" I nodded again. "Now?"

"Of course…I mean -- we don't have to if its weird…Its just been kind of a fantasy of mine since I was 15. That's strange, I know, and I can't tell you how many times I got yelled at for it but it was always just something I knew that I wanted to do eventually," I explained. Jacob looked amused.

"You fantasized about me?"

"Um, hi, have you seen you? It'd be hard not for anyone to look at you and not have some fantasy of you throwing them down on a bed and ravishing them," I told him.

"Oh really?" he asked.

"Yes --" I said.

"A fantasy…like this?" he asked, but before I could say anything he had flipped me up on to my hands and knees. I couldn't help but laugh at him. "Oh you think its funny do you?" he asked, pulling my hips back against him forcefully. I groaned as he rubbed up against my core.

"Mmhmm," I said.

"Mmhmm what? This is funny to you, or this is what you were thinking about?" he asked, leaning over my back and growling into my ear.

"Both…" I answered.

Jake and I tried a few more positions that afternoon -- for about 5 hours -- until around 7 pm. He finally broke away from me and we both completely zonked out on the bed for another two hours. When we both woke up, we only had eight hours left to kill.

My eyes fluttered open -- our car was completely dark. Street lights, and star flew past the window as France slipped away before my eyes. Jake was on his side, like me, and we were facing each other, except his head was pressed against my chest. He was breathing evenly, keeping my waist wrapped up in his arms. I adored this man that was leaning his head against my chest. This wonderful, beautiful, extraordinary man who made my life complete. I pictured the boy I had dreamed of in France -- before his sister, when he was a baby. Perfect looking -- a little bit like Seth and my dad mixed together. He was darker skinned, but not quite as tan as Jake, with that auburn-black hair. Those eyes of his were absolutely mesmerizing, that same minty golden color that my eyes turned when I tasted Jake's blood.

I was looking out into the darkness and thinking about my future family when Jake's head moved a little against my chest. He rolled his head against me and nuzzled into my chest. I reached up and stroked his hair.

"Morning sleepy head," I whispered. He looked up at me and smiled, then adjusted himself so we were eye level with each other.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked, pulling me into his chest now.

"Only a few minutes," I told him, snuggling into him and putting my arms in between us, on his chest. "I was thinking about those kids -- well, the boy at least. When he was a baby."

"Tell me about him," Jake said.

"I really don't know a lot about them --" I started, trailing off and trying to think about it.

"What does he look like?"

"Like, you -- and Seth a little -- I guess its just that look, and my dad a little. He's got a little red in his hair, but its mostly black. His eyes are that green that mine get. He's got this adorable little nose…he was only a newborn in the dream," I said, drifting in and out of that thought.

"You really think they're gonna be the kids we have?" he asked.

"I don't know -- hopefully. I mean, I'm no Alice but the images are so vivid. But I want it to happen that way," I told him.

"Me too, Nessie," he said, putting his palm to my cheek. I closed my eyes and sighed, placing my hand on his cheek and showing him the little boy asleep in my arms with Jacob holding both of us to his chest with a happy smile on his face. He looked down into my eyes and kissed me. He put his other hand underneath my waist, and pulled me into him more. It ended up that I wrapped my arms around his torso, and we was half covering the right side of my body with his. When he finally pulled away from me, I was disappointed. "I don't have the stamina to relive last night, sorry."

"No?" I asked, running my hands up and down his chest a few times.

"Not at all…plus we have to get off in a few hours," he informed me.

"I can get off in maybe half an hour…"

"Renesmee!" he said, shocked at my blunt sexual innuendo -- I like to bewilder him like that sometimes, plus, I loved more than anything to be with him in that way. I giggled at him. "Oh, you think you're going to be dirty like that and get away with it? Nope -- in the shower missy," he said, lifting me up and walking from the bed a little bit, before tossing me over his shoulder. I hit his back as he brought me into the bathroom. He sat me on the elaborate sink (elaborate for a private train car), and turned, finding the shower head to not be working right. He ran the bath instead, and turned around to find me looking at his ass. We were both still unclothed from last night.

"Ahup…" came out of my mouth as he grabbed me. "Hey!" I half yelled when he plopped me down hard into the Jacuzzi-like bathtub. All the jets were running and there were bubbles. It was pretty strange for a train -- but this was the Grimaldi's we were talking about. He stepped in after me and pulled my back into his chest.

*JPOV*

After some rather general making out in the tub, and dressing Nessie myself, our train stopped in Nice. It was very humid, very hot. We got off the train, and were picked up by a cab, and brought to our hotel, Le Meridian Nice, in the older upscale city was. Nessie immediately wanted to go to the beach -- there is no sand on the beaches in Nice, only pebbles and granite, they're smoothed, but they're still rocks. After lunch, and three hours of threatening not to sleep in the same bed as me for an entire month, she finally convinced me.

It was about 2 in the afternoon on our first day in Nice, and I was sitting on a towel on the beach, watching Nessie looking at the water like it was magical. Because it's the Mediterranean, the water is warm, therefore, there are not too many plant species so its crystal clear and aqua blue. She finally walking in waist deep and disappear under one of the small waves. A few seconds later, I saw he head emerge about thirty feet from where she had been. Nessie had speed unmatched by her father when it came to the water -- ever since she was little, any chance she got, she was in the ocean, or pool, or when she was aged to maybe 4 years old, she sat in a puddle in the woods for an entire hour. It was like she belonged in the water.

She was treading water now, where the water was maybe ten feet deep, and glaring at me. I really didn't want to go in the water, but the prospect of getting to take another bath with her was intriguing. I stood up, and pulled off my shirt. I went down to the water, stepping in up to my knees and watching her. She pushed her body up out of the water, before disappearing back into the water. I rolled my eyes and walked in until I could stand any more then dove under the water myself. I looked around, spotting her red hair, all spread out in the water and brilliant thanks to the sun hitting the water. I swam over to her, and pulled her into my arms before ascending to the surface with her. She took in a breath, putting her head against my neck, and started humming. The water around us was becoming heated because of our presence.

I let my hand rest on her bare back, and I kissed the top of her head. She tilted her head up to look at me, and smiled. I kissed her lips softly.

"You want to go back to the hotel?" she asked. I smirked at her.

"You're insatiable," I told her. She shrugged.

"I think it's allowed -- we're newlyweds," she said.

"I'd prefer we just get cleaned up, and dressed first. Then I can take you to get something to eat…" I offered. She groaned.

"I don't want food, I want you…" she said, pushing me away.

"You're cranky when you're horny, aren't you?" I asked, swimming back over to her. When I got close enough, she splashed me in the face.

"Shut your face," she said. I laughed and tried to pull her to me again -- she resisted, but I won eventually. "Fine, dinner and gelato sound okay?" she asked.

"Sounds amazing," I told her. She smiled then made for the shore. I pulled her back by her hand and wrapped my arms around her body. "We don't have to go now," I told her. She had a happy, smug look on her face when she turned around.

"Okay, but we can go make out on the blanket, can't we?" she asked. I sighed and followed her back to our blanket. I sat down with her and put my hand on the side of her face. She laid back in our blanket and pulled me over her. I didn't want to put too much pressure on her because underneath our thick, rice-paper lined beach blanket, was all rocks. I held my torso up above her and lowered my head to kiss her.

As it was turning out, we were making out almost once an hour, just kind of getting really mixed up in each other -- I guess it would have happened all last week had her crazy father not been in out hotel every five minutes.

********************************************************************************

We each had a gelato in hand, and were walking down the Promenade de les Anglais with the stars twinkling above us, and the moon shining over the Mediterranean sea, sparkling on the small curls that where washing over the rocks. The night was a little chilled, but otherwise very pleasant. We had dinner in a small café, and had a great cup of coffee. Nessie looked beautiful in her white dress and a simple denim jacket. I could feel her pulse in her fingers, steady and rhythmic. I could not stop thinking about just how much I love her.

*NPOV*

I kept looking up into Jake's face, admiring the content look on his face. It was the perfect night, it was so quiet in the off season…no longer winter, but spring was not yet arising. Nobody was on break at this time, so nobody was visiting. It was very peaceful to just walk along the pier and hold hands, with ice-cream. It was like that song, Lucky…lucky to be in love with my best friend. I smiled to myself knowing that one day, we'd have our own family, and house, and car, and life…I loved my family, and my parents, but I needed to grow up one day, and get out of the house -- and live for myself. No aunts to dress me, no grandmother trying to force feed me, no dad telling me to never grow up. My mother was the only one to truly understand me, yet she even, was kinda stand-offish about my closeness with Jacob. She got that I wanted nothing more than to spend my life with him, because that's how she was with my dad, but she was more timid about her only daughter settling down.

To tell the truth, I didn't think I was ready to settle down for years until I got taken to Italy. That just made me want to start my life with Jake sooner -- who knows if and when something like that would happen again, and I didn't want to have wasted my time. I was glad though, that when Collin kidnapped me, Jacob and I had already had sex, I was already Jake's when they sent Collin into my room at night. I can only hope that my father was at least happy that I wasn't deflowered by some stranger, but rather the man I plan on spending the rest of my life with, the man who would eventually share half of his DNA with our kids. At least it wasn't Collin who would be sharing genetics with my children.

"Hey, I need to get something for Kayla and Eric…can you wait here?" he asked. I smiled and nodded. He spoiled his niece and nephew rotten. "Don't go anywhere."

"I'll be on this bench," I told him, taking a seat. He smiled, and jogged across the street into a shop full of odd-looking things. I grinned to myself as I watched the waves catching the light from the sky.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Was all I heard, before my mind blanked out._ No, not this again_.

********************************************************************************

I woke up much later, the sun was already rising in the sky…I had no idea where I was -- I was still in Nice, wearing my clothes, but my stomach was sore, and my wrists were a little bit sticky…like they had been taped. I sat up, too quickly, and got violently dizzy. I fell back to the ground, just as something warm dripped down my neck from the side of my head. I touched the source of the liquid, and it was just behind my temple on the right side of my head. I took my hand away and examined my fingers, which were dripping with garnet colored blood. I sat up again, slowly and looked around. Jacob was probably out of his mind right now, and here I was, alone in an alleyway in Nice. I looked into my pocket for my phone -- the battery and the card were gone, with any trace of anybody finding me via phone. My credit card, and my cash were still in my purse, along with a phone card from when we were in Paris. I stood slowly, and pulled my hair over the wound to cover it so nobody on the street could see it -- It would stop bleeding soon. I took the card and went out onto the street to look for a payphone. I called the hotel, looking for Jacob. They said he hadn't been in since last night. After I hung up I started hyperventilating. I didn't know Jacob's international cell number…it was in my phone. I tried my house in Washington, no answer. I called the hospital where my grandfather worked, he had left early. In a last ditch attempt, I called Charlie. I got an answer.

"Hey, kid. How's it going?"

"Um…I'm in Nice, but I got lost last night, and I can't find Jacob, and nobody's at the house, and Carlisle's not at the hospital," I told him quickly.

"What the hell are you doing in France?" he asked. _Crap…he's not supposed to know about me and Jacob_.

"Edward let Jacob take me on vacation before I go to college -- as a graduation gift, but he was busy with work, so him and Bella couldn't make it, and now I can't find anyone," I lied quickly.

"I'll try and track down Carlisle through the department…just -- go back to your hotel and call me when you get there, at the station okay?" he said.

"Okay Charlie…Um…Charlie?"

"Yeah kid?" I could hear the house door in the background.

"I'm scared…"

"Don't worry, I'll find everyone for you. Just go back, have some coffee, eat something…Everything will be okay," he said.

We hung up, and I let out a single sob as I looked out onto the street as to where I was. The street looked familiar, but I needed a map. And I needed to find a way to let my family know that I was still in Nice -- my family, and Jacob.

I walked out of the alley, and looked for somewhere that could help me…I walked into a tourist shop, with t-shirts and stuff, and bought a map, and asked where my hotel was. The clerk traced it out on the map for me and I left. I followed the little orange line on the map back to the hotel, and up to my room…I pulled out my room key from my wallet, and walked into the room. Everything was exactly how we left it. Jacob's shirt was still draped over the couch. I snatched it and held it to my face, breathing the scent of Jacob in. There was a little scrap of white paper on the table that had not been there last night when we left, though. Still clutching the shirt, I walked over to it, and picked it up.

_Renesmee, I'm sorry you feel that way, and I accept that you would rather be with Collin, than me -- I understand. I'm just sorry that we wasted all that time…_

_Love you always,_

_Jacob_

What!? What had I said? I didn't understand -- I hadn't seen Jacob since last night when he crossed the street…In fact, he wasn't supposed to have been here since we left. He must have come up the side of the building to get in here. I sat down on the chair from the table, and cried. I didn't understand what was going on, or where the love of my life was, or where my family was. I heard his voice, I knew it was Collin I knew that this was the Volturri's doing, and they were going to pay. I crossed my arms over the table and sobbed loudly.

My Jacob was gone -- and I couldn't find him, and it was all too much to take in for me, I felt like my stomach was going to pop…second thought, it was. I put my hand to my mouth and ran into the bathroom -- the world was spinning and I was dizzy. I had lost a lot of blood from my head and I should probably eat something, but I didn't think I could stomach it. I threw up three times into the toilet, then immediately got myself into the shower to try and get the dried blood from my hair. The minute I stepped out, I picked up the phone and called Charlie, still in my towel.

He told me that my family had up and left -- not a note, or a call, or a letter. I was praying that they had the logic to track my credit card. But my dad was still in Europe somewhere hopefully. I hung up with Charlie and called him. He picked up.

"Nessie?" he asked hurriedly into the phone. It made me cry. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I don't know -- Jake," it made my heart clench to say his name. "Jake went to pick a few things up for Eric and Kayla, then I heard someone talking and then everything went black. Daddy, I'm scared," I said.

"You blacked out…where were you when you woke up? And where's Jacob?"

"I was in an alleyway…on the other side of Nice with a cut on my head from where I hit it I guess. It hurts, but it stopped bleeding a while ago. And I can't find Jacob, but he left a note, saying how he know I want to be with this other man and how he is sorry for wasting my time. And I can't get to mom, or the rest of a family," I told him.

"Alright, I'm getting a ticket, I'll be there in about 6 hours…just eat something please…" he said trailing off, and I cried.

"Okay…hurry daddy please. I'm scared," I told him.

"I'm on my way Nessie, don't freak out, okay? And don't go to sleep until I get there -- you might have a concussion," he said. When we hung up, I cried some more…then ordered bread from room service, bread, coffee, and water. I went into the bedroom and dressed myself in clean, un-bloodied clothing, and Jacob's hoodie. I felt that if I had hurt him, I didn't deserve to be comforted by the smell of his clothing, but I needed the comfort. I picked up the letter he wrote me again, just as I heard the room service cart outside of the door. I sobbed as I read his salutation. _Love you always_… It broke me that I had hurt him and I couldn't even remember what I had done.

********************************************************************************

*EPOV*

I arrived in 4 hours, exactly, then called back the number Renesmee had called me from to get the name of the hotel, and the concierge at the front desk answered, giving me the information I needed. I went straight up to her room, and knocking.

"Renesmee, its me," I said through the door. I could hear her mind, torturing itself with thoughts of Jacob. I could also hear her cries, like she was in mourning.

"I'm…I'm…ugh!" she said, sobbing. "The door's open."

I turned the door knob and walked in looking around to find my daughter curled up on the couch, crying and whimpering. I got hit with her thoughts like a ton of bricks.

_It's my fault -- we should never have come to France, I never should have made dad leave, I should have gone after Collin when I had that chance…_

"Collin?" I asked. I stepped close and a draft of blood from the bathroom blew past me. I got closer to her. "Nessie, Collin did this to you?" She gasped, then started whimpering again. I went to the couch quickly, and sat down next to her. She kept crying as I laid a hand on her shoulder. The crying had made her very warm. "Renesmee, please say something."

"He left…he's gone and I'm never going to find him again -- and it's my fault and I can't even remember what I said to him…" she rambled.

"Shh…calm down. We'll find him baby, I promise," I told her.

"No, he won't come back…I hurt him," she argued.

"Stop punishing yourself -- I talked to your mother and…"

"Mom?" she asked. "She wouldn't pick up the phone for her daughter, but she picked up for you?"

"They were on a plane to Italy, they had gotten a call from Jacob that you were with one of them and they were going to get you…" I tried to explain. "Why didn't you go with Jacob when he left?"

"He was just going across the street, and it was so pretty out…and that's all I remember before I woke up covered in blood this morning," she half shrieked. "I told you that!" Then she paused, looked at a scrap of paper on the table and started crying again. "I don't remember anything!"

"What are you saying?" I asked.

"That note…" she said, crying again and curling back up into a ball against the arm of the couch. I stood up and went to the little table under to the window, reading the note. I scanned over it a few times. It was his hand writing, and it smelled like him -- I didn't seem forced or anything…what had occurred last night?

********************************************************************************

*NPOV*

Daddy brought me home to see my family -- well, their new home. They felt that after their abrupt departure from Forks, it was better to just start over. It was bigger, grander, more obscenely opulent than the last had been. And I missed my home, where all my memories were, though I was glad to be away from them or else I would be crying 24 hours a day instead of my 20 I was doing now. I ate, little, but at least I ate. I hadn't hunted since Massachusetts, but I couldn't bring myself to do it -- I had always hunted alone with Jacob. I bathed, and dressed -- in my pajamas but at least I changed my clothing and washed myself. My family was all to willing to jump to get anything for me, and it was frustrating. I needed him back -- I was slowly being ripped apart by the sorrow that was taking over my soul. It had almost come to the point of me going to Italy and having them "off me", but I'd never dare do that in the hope that maybe someday my Jake would come home to me.

I tried desperately to rack my memory for what I had done to hurt him so much and where he would go to keep away from me…

*JPOV*

I hoped she'd never figure me out -- I would have to keep moving or else they would find me, but I could not be with her again, not after a threat like that. And I knew it hurt her almost as much as I was hurting me, but with a threat to her life, I was not going to toy. To never see her again, the love of my life…in order to save hers. Collin really knew how to get me, and I was angered that I was so easily shaken by him, but this was Nessie's life, and I was not going to have her harmed because of me. I hoped my note would buy me enough time to figure a way around Collin.

*NPOV*

Alone. Alone. Alone. I needed to run away and be alone with myself and my emotions -- take his clothes, take my jewelry -- my ring had come today, forwarded to my home address. I saw the label on the brown paper box, and burst into tears. Jacob's commitment to me, in unyielding platinum, in a tiny box. And now I didn't have him anymore…I didn't deserve the ring he made me…I didn't deserve anything of his -- I had broken him.

I took cash, tons of cash -- enough for years by myself. They'd probably not even notice for months that the money was missing. I packed my things, my only things these day, no designers, no labels, just my clothing -- worn out jeans, old shirts, hoodies, sweats. I took his clothes too, my favorites: his favorite sweatshirt, his lucky t-shirt, and what I had found in my hotel room, his earrings that I gave to him all those years ago which were now replacing my diamonds in my ears. I used cash to buy a train ticket when my family was on a hunting trip for a few hours. It left in two days. It was two days for me to gather my things secretly and escape back to before life got all topsy-turvy, before Jacob left me…the place where we had become our own entity, where we decided to get married, where our own life had started years before either of us were expecting it.

Back to our own home…in Massachusetts.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: SORRY! I love you guys if you're still reading this. Life got really messy for a while there, but I'm back now. Cookies for all of you!! Enjoy!**

Days since getting married : 19

Day since going to France : 18

Days since he's been gone : 10

…And each day feels like a year.

My parents were trying their hardest to find him for me, my whole family was. And someone was always there, patting my back and hugging me when I cried myself to sleep every night. Always someone there I cried so hard I started hyperventilating, or threw up. Everything hurt…mentally and physically. I was sore all over from France, still -- and sore from lack of movement, lack of effort. My mind was sore from trying so hard to keep him out, trying to block out the last 18 years of my life -- the sight of his face for 18 years, everyday of my life and now he's gone. I had nothing in my system today, no food, no blood. I tried to eat a rice cake this morning, but I cried at lunch time, and my stomach was unsettled. I hadn't gone hunting since about two weeks before we got married -- I didn't want it though…the thirst had actually never been so miniscule. It was as if I wasn't even half vampire. It was like I didn't have the drive to live anymore, so I didn't need what had always kept me alive. It was pretty sad to admit it that I really served no purpose to life anymore without the light that had been the love of my life.

I was sitting on the bathroom floor now, alone -- in the dark. It was easier to be in the dark…And I liked it, softer on my eyes these days with my body so weak. My clothes had become so loose in just ten days, the thermal shirt I had on that had once clung to me sagged around my waist and practically hung from my shoulders. My favorite jeans, that had always been a little loose weren't even staying up -- I gave up on them, ending up in a pair of sweats.

"Nessie…you want to try to eat something please?" Grandma asked from the outside of the door.

"No…I've thrown up too many times today already," I answered.

"Not even some cereal or rice? I can make anything you want…" she countered.

"No thanks…"

"Do you need anything then?" My thoughts wandered. _I do need something…_"Can I bring you a blanket, or a pillow?" _Something else warm, very warm… and soft…_

"No, I'm okay, grandma," I told her.

"Alright…I love you, Nessie," she said softly.

"I love you, too," I said quietly -- robotically. I did love her, it was just weird to say to anyone except for him.

I heard her touch the door and sigh, then walk away, leaving me alone in the dark again.

And it was all consuming.

And I liked it.

It kept me from thinking about anything for too long of a period of time because it distracted me from my thoughts. I liked the way the little bit of moonlight shined through a small crack in the blinds made the black marble on the floor and counter tops, and it enchanted me like I wasn't even in this universe anymore, and all the problems of it were too far away to worry about. Those tiny little silver pieces glittering in the moonlight reminded me of the sky I hadn't really seen in more than a week. The problem with the sky is that it hold too much hope and I have…well, none. It was depressing to actually see the sky, see all of the hope - promise, and to have such a deficit of it.

Then my nose picked something up -- a wolf…not my wolf, but a wolf. It was comforting. I heard his voice too, both of them. My brother and sister, Seth and Leah. Then my aunt's voice from the hall.

"Nessie, its Aunt Rose -- come downstairs please, Seth and Leah want to see you," she said, after tapping on the bathroom door.

"Okay," I answered, standing myself up, and getting quite the head rush. I almost fell over -- I had been sitting there for so long.

I opened the door slowly, and slipped myself out the door. Rose was standing there, by the stairs, waiting for me. She smiled at me softly, and put one arm around my shoulders, helping me down the stairs. When we reached the landing, my eyes were on the ground. I lifted them to find my entire family; aunts, uncles, grandparents, parents, and my husbands pack…just not my husband. My heart caught, and I know everyone in the room heard it, cause they all flinched a little in my direction.

"You okay, honey?" my mom asked. I nodded. "Alright, well these guys wanted to talk to you. We're gonna head out for a quick hunt -- then we're all gonna go out to give you guys some time alone, okay?"

"Okay, mom," I said, looking up to Seth and Leah, standing before me, Leah looking at me with sympathy, and Seth with his hands in his pockets, smiling. My family headed out the door, and Seth came up and hugged me -- one of his "hug every inch of you" hugs that always made me happy. He kissed my cheek, then pulled away from me a little and rubbed my back.

"How are you holding up here, Nessie?" he asked. I shrugged.

"Holding up okay, still breathing. But I feel completely lost…" I answered.

"If I know him, he'll be back, don't worry," Leah said.

"I don't know what I did to him though, and I can't remember anything," I said.

"It's not your fault, though, you know that right?" Seth asked. "And even if you did something he would never blame you."

"Seth…"

"Nessie, really -- but we're getting off topic. Seth found something," Leah said. I stopped.

"Found what?" I asked quickly.

"He left us something," Seth informed me. "A letter -- and your ring." My heart hitched again.

"My ring?" I managed to squeak out. Leah nodded. "Do you have it?"

Seth passed me a bubble wrap lined envelope, with a folded piece of paper inside. I pulled out the paper, which was heavy. I opened it up, and on his scratchy hand all over the paper sat the ring he had made from my old one. I took a deep breath through my nose, and grasped it in my hand, tightly -- like it was a missing key. I glanced at the letter, which had been addressed to Seth.

_Seth, _

_Here's Nessie's ring from Paris -- Please bring it to her, I need her to have it. Tell her I'm sorry, and that I love her and none of this is her fault in any way -- the fault is mine, because I should have known better than to leave her alone after what happened earlier this year. I have to at least explain to one person what happened so at least you will be able to reassure her she is not to blame. _

_You have to understand Seth, and I know you will feel the same eventually about whomever you end up with -- that I will do absolutely anything to keep Nessie safe, and my entire existence is for her, what she wants, and what's best for her. _

_It was her life on the line, and you know I'd do anything to protect her from anything. I hate to see her marred by anything, from paper cuts to death blows, and in my mind, she is absolutely the top priority. I won't say who, or what is involved, but they told me that if I couldn't make myself scarce, they would take her life. And the first thing I did was try to cover everything up, to try and make this less painful for her, and make it seem like I wanted this for her. I'm telling you in the hopes that you will be able to be there for my girl, and take care of her, and make sure she knows that I don't blame her._

_She can't know about this letter._

_Just let her know I love her._

_-J_

My eyes pulled up from the paper and I made quick eye contact with Seth before my vision got blurry, and my head felt light. I felt my face get hot, and my body started to sway -- this was not going to end well. The world went dark, and I felt my body caught, just before I hit the floor, by two pairs of warm arms.

I woke up on the couch at Billy's. The window was open, and there was an early spring breeze coming in through the window. I laid still with my eyes opened and listened to the house. I heard Leah's voice in the other room, with Billy's. They were talking about me, but it was coming through the walls muffled, and I couldn't hear much more than the occasional word or so and my name. Then there was breathing and a fast heartbeat. I turned towards the door -- Seth.

"Hey…we told your parents we were taking you to the beach after you passed out. They were excited to get you out of the house -- I didn't have the guts to tell them that you zonked," he explained.

"Oh," I replied.

"You want anything?" he asked.

"No," I answered, the same bland tone. I looked up to his face, he had come closer to me now.

"You okay?" I nodded. "You know the other pack is even trying to look for him, right? They all want him to come home -- we'll do whatever we have to in order to keep you safe, and we're not going to let some asshole keep you two apart for some sick perverted reason of his," Seth said, a little bit like an over protective father. I shrugged a little.

"Knowing him, he'll do anything to stay away…" I tried to say.

"You are the love of his life, he can't live without at least seeing you," Seth said, a little sternly. "Even if you don't see him, he'll have to come around at least once in a while -- so he can see you, and when he does, we'll all be here to hear him." I looked down to the floor. He came closer and tilted my chin up. "Hey, cheer up -- we'll get him to come home okay? Alright, Nessie?" he asked. I nodded, and I felt my face get hot. "Aw, Ness. Come here," he said, pulling me into a hug. I tried to hold back the tears in my eyes but it just wasn't working.

They brought me home a little later; my family still wasn't home. Leah made me a plain salad with chickpeas…its was the only thing I had kept down in a little over a week, other than one milkshake, and bottled water. Seth put on some movie that I really wasn't paying attention to, but rather I was thinking about what was said in the letter left for Seth…he wouldn't risk my life by returning to be with me, even thought my family could easily deter anything that Collin put on the table. I felt my breathing pick up for a short period of time, and I almost started hyperventilating when I got a concerned look from Seth, and I tried to calm myself down. I brought my breathing back to normal but my heart was buzzing. I was thinking about him a lot, not Seth -- my lost one. His eyes…the way he smelled…It had only been little over a week since I had seen him, but I had seen him almost every single day of my life. I felt like my memory was betraying me. It was hard to see his face in my mind, even harder to hear his voice.

Seth looked at me again. "Nessie, you okay?" he asked.

"Mmhmm."

"Missing him?"

"Mmhmm."

************************************************************************

I went to sleep early that night…I fell asleep on the couch. Seth and Leah will still there, I could hear them. I also heard when my parents walked in and they all started chatting. I heard when my aunts and uncles all divided up to their separate rooms. I heard when my parents came up into my room -- Seth had brought me upstairs about an hour after I fell asleep. I heard them muttering about me, but I was too deep in sleep to actually hear anything that they were saying. Then they left, and I was alone in the dark. Alone -- as usual. I knew often I was the one who secluded myself, but it was nice to have someone, at least once in a while, even if they made me let them stay. It was my fault I was alone, anyway. I should have gone with him -- Collin would never have gotten me alone, then he would have never threatened him with my life -- he never would have left. And I wouldn't be alone, in the dark now. I'd be wrapped up in his arms, asleep -- in our house.

I missed our house…I started to picture it in my mind. It wasn't a big house, but it was perfect for the two of us. I desperately needed to go back, and fall into our bed, and wear his clothes, and sleep on his pillow. If I couldn't have him here, I at least wanted to be near where he was. I sat up, and looked around…I still had my bags in the VW…and I had clothes there. I snatched the key from my drawer. I pulled on a hoodie and a pair of old, beaten up converse, and put my hair up in some form of sloppy wad on the top of my head. I slipped the key into the pocket of my sweatshirt, and took to the stairs. I knew my whole family could hear my heart beat moving around the house -- but there were two others downstairs -- Seth and Leah had stayed over. It might be easier to slip away if I confuse their ears…I'd be on the road before anyone even realized it. I took some water from the fridge, then took two boxes of granola bars and a jar of peanut butter from the cabinet. Seth had left a sweatshirt on the hook by the door -- I searched the pockets…

The letter he left for Seth.

I didn't know where to put it…so I slipped it into shirt, between my bra and my tank cami. I opened the door quietly and slipped out into the night. The VW was parked in the driveway -- I walked up to it, and opened it with the key. Good thing this engine wasn't in sport or anything or else it would have gained a lot of attention. I pulled out onto the 101, and took off out of the state. To Massachusetts, 72 hours away.

************************************************************************

I was getting leaning against the side of my car in a gas station in Ohio -- two days later, when the boy from the counter inside came out.

"You need help?" he asked.

"I managed to get it into the car myself…I think I can handle it…" I replied. He looked set off, but was not about to give up entirely.

"Well…where are you heading?" he asked. "Home from school?"

"No, home forever," I answered.

"Where's home?" he asked.

"Massachusetts," I told him. "And you are quite the nosy pain in the ass huh?"

"Just trying to be personable…damn," he said.

"I've been driving for two days…just let me ring out please," I told him, passing my card, then snatching it back quickly. "Um, let me pay with cash…" I walked to the car and took out a hundred. I flashed him my license as I.D. for using such a big bill, and he gave me change.

"You on the run?" he asked.

"What?"

"You're not paying with your card…they can track you through credit card usage…" he said, putting the dispenser back into the machine.

"I don't think that is any of your…"

"Home is Massachusetts…you car and license are from Washington," he noted, looking over my car. "And you don't have a Boston accent -- you're a runaway."

"I'm not a runaway…I'm 18," I informed him, stepping into my car, and bringing the engine to life.

"You trying to get away from your family? Trying to leave them to go be somewhere else, where you think life is better?" he asked.

"I'm going to where I belong," I said, glaring at him and gunning it, out of the gas station, back onto the interstate. Once I got out there…I couldn't drive.

I pulled over to the side of the road.

I turned the car off.

I dropped my head into my hands.

Tears rolled down my face.

I missed him -- and I was being taunted for missing him. He was my soul, my only existence. Now, I'm called a runaway for being in love with a man who left me, left because of me…for me. I wish he hadn't. I wish he was here now…wrapping me up in his arms and telling me everything was fine. But I knew I could find him…and bring him back to me -- no matter how long it took, or how much effort…Whatever I had to give up to have him back, I would -- without question.

I sat in my car for a couple of hours until a police car came up behind the car. I wiped my face furiously, though I'm sure I was all puffy from crying for hours. He tapped on the window with his knight stick. I rolled it down, and looked out, up into his face.

"You okay ma'am?" he asked. "Toll authority called us about your car just sitting here."

"I'm okay…just had a little bit of an emotional breakdown," I told him. "Should I get a move on?" I asked.

"If you go just a little farther ahead, there's a Dunkin' Donuts. Get yourself some coffee…and next time you feel a breakdown coming on, please find a rest area or an empty lot to stop in -- you're a traffic hazard on the side of the road."

"Sorry…I'll do that," I answered.

I put the car back in drive and started off down the highway. Only one more day of driving until I can be as close to him as I can be. It's good that I have been doing nothing for over a week -- I'm not even tired, and I have been awake for almost three days straight.

************************************************************************

I was just sitting in the car now, looking out the window, up into the dining room window of my house. I took a deep breath, bag in my hands, and opened the car door. I stepped out and shut the door softly behind me. Walking up the short flight of stairs to the front door felt like it was the hardest thing I had ever done.

I rested my hand around the doorknob -- it was cold as night. I let my hand fall, and I place my key into the lock. One sharp turn to the left and the door pooped open. I breathed in the air that blew past me from in the house. The smell was amazing, full of memories mixed with the smell of cedar wood and cinnamon. It smelled like him, and I was swimming in it. It was the most enchanting smell I had smelled in weeks. I touched the bracelet he had made me out of the necklace from my father -- he was supposed to have been here to stay. I walked to the stairs, and sat down on them. I took another deep breath in, and let it out shakily. My bag was left by the door and I went upstairs to where we were just before we left. I walked down the hall to that wooden door, and opened it. The sheets were still rustled from us, and the room smelled like him. His stuff was on the bed -- things he decided not to bring : a pair of sweats, 3 button down shirts, and a sweater. I crawled up onto our bed and snatched one of the shirts. The scent was overwhelming.

I clung to his shirt, and I could feel it start to strain between my fingertip. I pulled it against me, tightly, and breathed it in -- sure, it smelled like him, but I could tell the scent was going to fade eventually.

I slept there, for the first time in three days, clutching his shirt, sleeping on his pillow, in our bed.

When I woke up, it was 14 days since I had laid eyes on him. Gone two weeks. I was alone two weeks. And it was pitiful of me to be so dependent on him, and act like this in his absence, but to not see the love of your life for two weeks having seen him every single day of your life can take a toll on you. He was pretty much the only reason I was here, he saved my life…and he held my heart. For both of those things, I was eternally indebted to him. He was the reason that I had my life today, and here he was, sacrificing himself, as he had countless times before, for my life and happiness. And I hated to doubt the judgment of a man with two times as many years under his belt as I, but I wished that he would stop worrying for the life of immortal me, and instead spend time with me, and share his life with me. My safety was certainly nothing I would ever worry about…I could not be injured by any metal, immune to most any poison -- I was unbreakable, yet he worried for me.

Any threat that I could not deflect, my family surely could. I saw nor reason for him to distance himself for me. Why he would hurt himself, or our relationship by staying away -- I just couldn't wrap my brain around it. And he did this for me. I was definitely not worth any of the pain he was going through.

I wanted to move…I wanted to get up, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I wanted to stay here, holding his shirt to my face. It was ridiculous of me to be so attached to this object -- pieces of thread that were woven together. I sat up and put the shirt in my lap. Sighing, I got up off the bed. I went into the bathroom, and turned the shower on, hot. I let the room get foggy before I stepped in, fully clothed. I stripped down out of my clothing and let the fiery water practically singe my skin off. It hurt, but at the same time it felt amazing…I couldn't explain it. I rinsed my hair, and body to the point that I was sterile after all the heat. I must have stood there for more than a half hour, just cleaning myself. I stepped out after a while and wrapped myself in one of the thick white towels that were stacked from before we left, already depleted one from my shower in the minutes before we left the house.

I got dressed in the other bedroom, where all my clothes still were. I decided I needed to try and eat something so I took it upon myself to go out grocery shopping…I snatched the keys from next to the front door, and took off in the VW. I needed to call the airport to get my Mustang back.

Shopping for just myself turned out to be a depressing thing. I kept seeing things that I normally bought for him, his favorite foods…things I didn't necessarily like at all, but I put them in the cart, just to keep myself hopeful. I tossed in awful things like Cheetos, and instant Macaroni and Cheese, and microwavable foods. All the crap that he ate…I half smiled -- I liked remembering his happy face munching down on a microwaved bowl of mac & cheese while he watched baseball with my father and uncles. I remember sitting on his lap, wrapped up in him, falling asleep in his arms with some kind of sport on tv, just being happy to hear his heartbeat.

I had to stop myself in the store, with a box of Chips Ahoy in my hand. I took a deep breath and told myself I wasn't going to have a breakdown in the supermarket. I put the box in the seat of my shopping cart and pulled out my phone -- not a single missed call, in three days. My family must have known that I would come out here to be by myself.

************************************************************************

After about a week of moping around alone, I had to get out of the house. I had tried just going out in the backyard, picking the strawberries in the garden, but it made me anxious, and being in the house made me anxious…I didn't have the stamina to go for a run, or do anything other than just kind of meander around, and take in the world that I was missing out on.

"_I need a fix 'cause I'm going down…_

_Down to the pits that I left up town…_

_I need a fix 'cause I'm going down…_

_Mother superior jumped the gun._

_Mother superior jumper the gun."_

I was singing in the clothing store I had stopped in, picking out jeans for the summer…I needed a smaller size. Even though I wasn't running, I wasn't eating much either. I was alone for 17 days at this point. Really alone for seven. Even though I had brought this seclusion on myself, I needed companionship, like a friend -- a warm friend. Someone who wouldn't look at me differently for being upset, or try to make me eat when I wasn't up to it, or leave me to keep me safe.

I went to the Petsmart in Danvers -- about 35 minutes away, but it was worth it. I wandered around for a little while. An attendant asked if he could help. I told him I was looking for something warm blooded, and he brought me to the guinea pigs.

"I mean, something bigger…I guess a cat, or a do…" I stopped myself. "A dog, I want a dog," I told him.

"Well, we don't sell cats or dogs here, but there is an adoption drive tomorrow if you want to come back…What size are you looking for?"

"Big, really big, but a puppy. A big breed, I guess," I replied.

"You can't be over 5'4"…why do you want such a big dog?" he asked. "I'm not trying to pry, I just want you to get the best suiting pet for yourself."

"I grew up with big dogs," I said slyly. "…And my um…husband…is 6'8", I don't think a Chihuahua would be suiting," I explained.

"You're married? You're so young! You should have him come back with you tomorrow. The shelter likes to have all the members of the household there when you adopt the puppy," he told me. I felt my heart retch.

"He's not around at the moment…its just me -- but I know if…when he comes back, a small dog will not work for him," I said, dropping my vision to the floor.

"Oh, sorry. Well, a dog will make a great friend for you, while he's gone," he said. "How about you go pick some things out then…bowls, leash, collar, bed -- that way you'll be all set for tomorrow? I'm Chris, you can come find me if you need help," he said, directing me to the dog aisle. I smiled, seeing all the bright colored dog accoutrements. I was happy to be getting a dog, it was so familiar, so like him. It was good to know that I would have at least something like him that was mine.

I went back to the front of the store and got a cart. I picked out a gray and navy blue bed, though it really wasn't necessary -- I didn't care if it slept on the couch, as long as it was comfortable. I got two big red ceramic bowls with rubber bottoms, and a big tan tweed matt to put them on. I looked at collars and leashes, and I didn't know what to do…I guess I would just pick those out when I make the togs tomorrow, after I get the dog. I loaded the rest of the cart with toys, and treats, and food. I checked out of the store a little while after, and drove myself home rather quickly -- it was starting to get late and traffic had depleted.

I drove myself crazy all night, setting up for a dog, and puppy proofing the house. It felt good to actually have something to do instead of just lollygagging around all day. I hadn't even gotten the damn thing yet, and already I felt like I was needed -- like I had someone to care for, which I needed.

I woke up early the next day, having gotten only about 2 hours sleep. I put on a rather old fitted t-shirt, with a zip-up black hoodie, and a pair of jeans -- I was comfortable and ready to go get my new friend. I drove into Danvers in the VW, even though the Mustang had been returned about 4 days ago it had no space for a dog. Just as I walked in the door, my phone buzzed.

Alice.

"Hello?" I answered.

"I can't believe you're getting a dog…you know they don't live that long compared to us," she said. "It goes by in the blink of an eye."

"You're trying to dissuade me from doing the one thing that has made me happy in two weeks?" I asked.

"I'm just warning you -- they're animals, they're what you hunt -- its dangerous for both of you," she warned.

"I haven't hunted in a month, Aunt Alice, I just don't feel the need," I said.

"You don't think it will conflict badly with the pack?" she asked.

"What pack? I'm here by myself…the dog will be my pack," I countered. "And when he comes home, the three of us will be our own pack." I hung up on her, and walked directly up to where I spotted Chris from yesterday.

"Back for your dog?" he asked. I nodded and smiled. He led me over to the half of the store, where the dogs were being kept on the opposite side of where the cats were. "Big breed you said?"

"Yes," I answered, and he brought me over to an area full of larger crates. Some were older, some were newborn…then he was there -- a huge, thickly built, golden retriever puppy.

"This is Bentley, a 4 months old. He was, I emphasize _was_, the runt in the litter and his mother abandoned him. Now, he's probably the biggest four-month-old retriever the world has ever seen," the woman from the shelter explained, chuckling, and reaching through the bars on the crate to pet him. I smiled at the bouncy dog, who looked excited that there were people around him, and petting him.

"Where do I sign?" I asked her. She laughed.

"I'll get you the paper work…we do ask for a donation to the shelter, if you can. We have a lot of expenses, with puppies, and surgeries and food," she said.

"Oh…sure!" I said, petting the puppy through the grates and taking out my checkbook. I wrote her a $2500 check, and in the notes section I wrote _My May Donation_. She looked like she was going to pass out when I handed it to her. She thanked me profusely as she handed me his paperwork.

"He's up to date on his shots, for now. He will need a few more rounds, still," she said while I signed. "And he's pretty rambunctious…our staff is always on their toes with him. He's got a ton of energy, way more than a normal puppy."

"I can assure you that I will wear him out," I told her. "He's my new running partner -- running alone has been getting me into a lot of trouble lately."

"I'm glad he's going home with you…he scared a couple of kids away already today," she said, taking my filled out forms and opening the latch on his cage. "Do you plan on keeping that name?" I thought about it…I liked it, but it didn't really fit him.

"I think I'm calling him…Turbo," I told her. "Like -- the energy of a jet plane."

"It's very suiting…do you have a collar and leash?"

"No, I have to go pick them out…but I think I'm going to end up going through a few with this guy," I said.

"Alright, well, I'll give him to you on what we call the "take home" leash -- its like a slip knot leash; I'm just afraid he'll choke himself on it, so go pick him a real set quickly," she said, passing me his leash. I took it from her hand and thanked her. I looked down at the maniacal little puppy, standing almost three quarters of the way up my lower leg. He looked back, and got excited, then started jumping at me with enthusiasm.

"Come on, little guy, let's go get you a real collar," I told him, and walked with him off to the dog aisle.

I picked out a couple different colored sets, in all different sizes. And leashes in all different thicknesses and lengths. I got a couple harnesses too, because he did choke himself a little just walking to this section. Once he calmed down a little bit, I put one of the smaller harnesses on him, then a leash. I walked him up to the counter, and he followed me like I was his mommy -- which I guess I was now -- I paid for his things, and I bought a few dog tag tokens for the laser printing machine. He already had one tag, because he was "chipped", meaning they put a microchip in his scruff at the shelter -- its helps them identify stray or lost dogs. I put his chip number on one tag with his name above it, and on the other tag, I put my two addresses (Massachusetts on the front, and Washington on the back). I clipped them all on the collar and put it around his neck.

When we got to the VW, being a larger car, I had put some things in the back for him, a blanket, a rope toy, and an old couch cushion from the basement; so I opened the door and he hopped right in. I had not gotten to my door on the other side of the car, and Turbo had already decided that he wasn't going to be alone in the back of the car. He climbed over the console and into my seat, waiting for me to open the door. I laughed at him, and pointed to the passenger seat.

"You can't drive home…you don't even know where you're going," I told him, and pushed him over into the other seat. He obliged happily, as long as he wasn't banished to the back again. I sat down and reached over, giving him a nuggie with the palm of my hand.

He sat like a perfect little gentlemen the whole way home, and didn't move around a lot. He had positioned himself sitting, with both of his monster paws in the arm rest on the door so he could look out the window. I would ask him a question every once in a while, and he would look at me and cock his head like he was confused. I just laughed and pet him.

We got home around midday, and I decided to let him try and go to the bathroom before we went inside. I brought him into the back and shut the gates around the property before letting him off the leash. He ran around like mad for a minute before assuming a lifted leg position next to an oak tree.

"Good boy, Turbo," I said, kneeling to the ground and clapping my hands. He smiled (that open mouth goofy dog smile), and bulleted towards me, knocking me backwards to the ground. I laughed hysterically. It felt good to laugh again. I brought him inside, and took off the harness. He buzzed around the house like the Tasmanian devil, on the first floor, while I filled his water bowl. The minute I set it down, he came running and stuck his head right into it, splashing water all over the place -- but I was prepared for this, so I got the mop from the pantry and cleaned it all up. He was still drinking, even when I had finished mopping. I guess that they hadn't given him water today. He nearly finished the bowl, and looked up at me like '_What's next_?'.

"How about a treat and a run?" I asked him. Again, he rotated his head like he was comprehending what I was saying. I opened a bag of treats, and took a sniff. It smelled awful to me, like rotten meat -- and my sense of smell was good. I threw them into the garbage and took out some hamburger meat from the fridge. Turbo looked excited. I made a couple little balls of raw beef and tossed them to him. He caught every single one, and wagged his tail happily.

I hooked him back into his harness and leash. I left the collar off because it wasn't necessary with the harness -- I clipped his tags onto his harness instead. I brought Turbo upstairs with me and changed into sweat pants and my tight running jacket. He had jumped right up on my bed while I changed. I could hear his tail wagging with excitement. I wasn't expecting him to already be so comfortable and adjusted with me.

I took Turbo back downstairs and walked out the door with him. We walked to the street then started jogging. He was excitedly running next to me -- I hoped to ware him out. I ran up to the woods, into the Headlands (the section of the woods that ended, turning into granite that dropped off into the ocean).We circled around that area for a little while, the I brought him back out of the woods and into town. We ran up the main street, and onto the little beach there. We slowed down, and came to a stop. Turbo dragged me right for the water and almost pulled me in.

"Turbo! Hey, you're gonna get me all wet," I complained getting pulled knee deep into the salty ocean. He was bouncing around and splashing all over the place. I smiled at him. "Alright fine, since my sweats are already soaked…" I said. I scooped water into my hands and splashed it at him. He jumped and bit at it, trying to catch it. We continued to play in the chilly Atlantic Ocean water for the rest of the afternoon.


	9. Chapter 9

**_AN: Sorry guys! I know, it took forever. Let me give you the time line here: Virus, Fixed, Hard Drive Problems (Almost a month), Fixed, End of School, Grad Parties, MA House with family, home, writing my ass off. And I've been working on a freelance story based on some real stuff -- plus super major people drama, per usual. This chapter is like a conversion, so it's a little jumpy, and stuff happens quickly, just warning you. Make sure to give me some feedback - review or email. Big Cookies and Brownies and Cake for all of you!!_**

After a big dinner, and another long walk, Turbo zonked out on my couch. He was sleeping on his side with his tongue handing out of his mouth -- completely worn out. I was using up the hamburger meat I had opened up earlier making a few burgers to freeze for another time. I also made some good past dish I was watching on the Food Network while I made burgers. I sat on a stool at the counter in the kitchen and watched movies on tv, gobbling down first plate of food. I thought about putting the rest away and saving it for tomorrow, but I couldn't -- I took another serving…followed by another. And when I came to the bottom of the pot, I made some popcorn and dumped some cereal, broken cookies and chocolate chips. I plopped into the big comfy chair, and flicked on the tv. Turbo stirred, but promptly fell back asleep. I munched on my popcorn, in shock, while I watched more food being made on television…it was making me hungry, making me eat. I completely annihilated my popcorn in a few minutes, but I was still a little hungry. I wanted strawberries. I left my bowl on the coffee table, and went out into the back yard with an empty colander. I filled it to the brim with fresh berries from my garden

I rinsed them quickly in the sink with icy water, and partially dried them. I got a small bowl of white sugar, and brought everything back to my seat in the living room. Although the strawberries that grew in my yard were not big (they were barely average sized), I think the almost 20 that I ate was a lot. There were still more though -- good weather for strawberries this spring. I put the rest in the fridge along with the sugar I hadn't used on them, I didn't want to waste it.

That time next week I was in the super market, buying ridiculous amounts of everything I hadn't eaten in 3 weeks. I guess that being less depressed, and a little distracted from recent absences in my life by Turbo had made it easier to eat, plus I wasn't throwing up because I wasn't crying every ten minutes. I felt drained actually -- I was craving everything high in any mineral, dairy products like yogurt and cheese, spinach, beans, and eggs. I checked out quickly, and walked briskly back to my car where Turbo was waiting. I opened a bag of chicken treats, made out of real chicken and seasoned with mint, lavender, and hops (supposed to calm dogs down), and tossed him one threw the slightly opened window. He wagged his tail ferociously as he goggled it down. I popped the trunk open and put my groceries in. If this dog was going to get any bigger, I was going to need a bigger car…I'd have to talk to my dad.

I got into the driver's seat and was greeted with overwhelming stamina, by Turbo, who jumped on my lap and licked my face.

"Eww. Turbo, you have dog treat breath," I said to him, patting his bead before shoving him over to his side. He barked at me, playfully, when I pushed him. I picked up my phone from the cup holder…no calls. I opened my contacts and found my dad's number. I pressed send. Ring. Ring. Ring.

On the sixth ring, he finally picked up, breathing heavily.

"Nessie?" he asked.

"Yeah…listen…I'm gonna need a bigger car. I have this dog now…"

"She got a dog?" I heard my mom ask in the background, also breathing heavily.

"OH GROSS! Call me later, when you two are done being disgusting!" I said almost about to hang up.

"We are done," my dad answered.

"Again, GROSS!" I yelled into the phone. Turbo barked at me.

"I'm glad to hear you less withdrawn," my mom said, taking the phone.

"Turbo makes me happy," I told her patting his side. He started wagging his tail. "Hang on mom, I have to put you on speaker phone, I have food in the back." I turned on the built in Bluetooth.

"His name's Turbo? What kind of name is that?" she asked. He barked at the speaker.

"Shut up, Turbo. He has a lot of energy…" I explained while starting the car and pulling out of the grocery store parking lot.

"What about needing another car?" my dad asked.

"Well, I have Turbo…and he's going to get big. And this VW just isn't going to cut it for a hundred and thirty pound dog," I told him.

"And you have to bring him with you everywhere?" he asked.

"He's my friend, of course I do," I replied. My dad snorted.

"What kind of car did you think you wanted?" he asked.

"I don't know, something bigger…not an SUV, but like, a bigger car like that," I said, driving down the road, towards my town. I felt so at home here, it was like I had lived here all my life…

"How about the Porsche SUV? It's not enormous," he tried to help.

"Too flashy dad…I want something rugged," I explained, but got it wrong.

"How about a 1994 piece of crap pick-up then?" he joked.

"You know what I mean!" I half shouted, and Turbo barked at me. I glared at him playfully, and he barked again.

"Well Nessie, I should get back to your mother…"

"Gross!!" I said.

"Just go pick what you want, and let me know…I'll settle the deal on whatever you choose," he said.

"Thanks, Dad. Okay, I'll talk to you lat…"

"And Ness?"

"Yeah?"

"It's nice to hear you so happy again, really. Its like the old you is back. You had us all scared there for a while, honey," he said. I didn't know what to say…should I be more sad? I really did feel as though I wasn't as torn up as I should have been. What's wrong with me? Sure, a lot of it had to do with having Turbo, but there was still a big opening where he used to be. He, my best friend, the love of my life, whose name I couldn't even say for the fear of my heart self combusting. Even thinking about him, I felt it tug at itself.

"I still miss him, daddy - a lot," I said weakly.

"I don't expect you not to, I know this is very hard for you, and I'm proud of you for being this strong," he said. Again, I didn't know how to respond.

"Daddy…" I started. I could feel my face getting hotter, and I got that choking sensation in my throat that you get when you're trying really hard not to cry.

"Its okay, baby," my mom said, taking the phone. I shook my head, as I pulled onto my street. I stopped in front of my house.

"No, its not…I shouldn't be like this. I'm too happy to have lost someone," I said.

"This is normal, baby, its okay -- your mind is just adjusting to what's missing and you're getting used to living without…"

"But I know in my heart that I can't live without him. We both need each other like air," I told her. "We are meant for each other mommy, we're supposed to stay together forever, love each other, have kids…I can't live like this." Turbo was looking at me now, with sad eyes. He nudged my hand.

"I know, honey, I understand," she said.

"Mommy…I'm lost," I said, even weaker, into the phone. I felt my eyes fill up with tears…and I hung up the phone. I turned to car off and opened my door. Turbo climbed out of my door after me, and kept at my heels as we walked into the house.

I walked up the stairs to our room, and fell to my knees next to the bed and started crying. I was hunched over on the floor sobbing loudly with tears gushing from my eyes, and Turbo walked over and laid down next to me, whining. I moved to sit and lean against the bed, and I pulled my dog onto my lap and hugged him to me. I kept crying, hard, and Turbo licked my hand, and watched me, as if he understood.

My heart felt like it was going to fall out. Like it was rotted away, and decaying inside of me, and the slightest touch would make it fall to pieces.

"Come back…come back…come back…" I muttered under my breath, repeatedly. "Please," I begged, still holding the puppy to me. He was warm, familiar. It did feel a little better to have someone to hold, who didn't judge me, who would just be content to curl up with me and let me cry it out.

************************************************************************

It was cold…almost 4 hours later, when I woke up -- it had started to pour, and I had left the window open. I was on the floor, with a sleeping puppy in my arms. My back and arms were stiff. My head was throbbing, that was what woke me up. I was nauseas again, too, probably from the crying. I checked my phone -- 6 missed calls. Four from my mom after I had hung up on her like that…one from Seth…he must have talked to my mom…and an unknown number, they all had left messages. I checked them quickly. Mom, worried. Seth, telling me to pick up -- and to call him back.

The last one was quiet for a moment, then there was a sigh, then words.

"Good to hear your voice."

His words.

My heart jerked. It was nice to hear his voice too.

"I know this is hard for both of us, and I know neither of us want it to be this way, but this is how it has to be…I love you."

Then it was over. I checked the number again…it came up as restricted. I tried to Star-Sixty-Nine it, but it doesn't work on cell phones. I replayed the message, 8 more times…before throwing my phone at the wall, leaving a significant dent, and snapping my shattering my phone. I put my head in my hands and breathed deeply. Again, the choking feeling was back, but I wasn't holding tears back -- I had nothing left to cry. I didn't have the willpower anymore. It hurt too bad to even think about it, I felt like my skull was going to pop, like my heart was being put through a shredder.

Turbo looked up at me and stood, to move closer. He laid back down directly next to me, and put his head on my lap. I pet him, and took a few deep breaths.

"Come on, Turbo, let's go get something to eat," I told him. He lifted his ears up, and stood, happily wagging his tail. I wasn't about to get back into that moping swing…especially if I had someone to take care of…

I made Turbo some food…raw ground beef with uncooked carrots, with a little bit of leftover cooked rice from yesterday. The second the bowl hit the floor, his head went down and didn't come back up. I laughed at him and walked over to the couch.

Sitting comfortably, I watched Turbo in the kitchen gobble down his food. I looked around my living room. It was filthy. Not mud and dog hair filthy, but everything was out of place. I got up and began pushing things around. Comfy chairs, back into the corner. Coffee table, more centered. Picture on the wall, re-align. Everything seemed to have just a little tiny something wrong with it…I walked into the kitchen -- dishes in the sink. I cleaned them all, and put them away…The cabinets were all disorganized. I moved everything back to where it was supposed to be. The stove was all dirty…stuff was burnt on…

What is wrong with me? I sat on a stool on the kitchen island, and looked at my hands. Why was I doing all this cleaning? I swear, straight from content to compulsive, that was. I dropped my hands into my lap, and watched them…my ring sat there, on my finger…sparkling. I half smiled, then slipped them off…Why even bother? It wasn't like I was ever going to see him again. It wasn't necessary. Not like I could be with anybody else, ever. I just didn't see the need, I loved him, but he was gone. I fiddled with the band…it didn't mean anything to me if I didn't have that person to look at everyday. To show them how much they mean to me, to keep that promise to them day after day, right where they can see it. I didn't need the ring to keep that promise to myself.

Turbo finished eating and went to lay down on his bed in the living room. I smiled at him, and walked over there, holding my ring in the palm of my hand. I brought it over to the coffee table, and opened this antique silver box on the table where I kept all of the promise bracelets he had given me. I dropped my ring on top of all those tattered, torn leather cords. I touched my bangle. Here to stay my ass. I opened the clasp and let it fall off, before dropping that in as well. I shut the box and looked at it.

"So many promises…all broken," I muttered, pushing the box back into the middle of the table.

Turbo and I continued on for another week, taking care of each other…he was like the best friend that I never got to have growing up. It was almost a month since he had left me, and I was actually starting to not feel a thing anymore. It was like I had accepted him being gone and I was moving on. However, it was hard to move on when I got sick after crying…and I stayed sick for that week. Frankly, I was sick of always being sick. I had a good week without it, almost. Then it picked right back up and it was wearing me out. Honestly, though, I was tired, all the time. And sore all over…I had been all week since I slept on the floor with Turbo.

I felt sad, still…but I knew I had to try and get over it…I had taken off all of the things that I told him I would never take off, but it had to come to this -- disconnecting myself completely from him. I couldn't be distracted from Turbo because I was sad. I needed to feed him and take care of him, and train him. It would be awful of me to depend so much on him, when he depended on me like I did on him.

It was hard to put it into my mind that way…give up on the love of my life for my dog, but it helped me to get over him, and not go out searching.

************************************************************************

While I was out on the beach, in the middle of the night with the puppy, I heard a couple of people walk onto the wet sand relatively far away. It was dark, and I was pretty sure they couldn't see me…I heard them, and just thought they were normal kids…until I smelled them -- Wolves.

"Well, my dad got Sox tickets for Tuesday if you guys want to go into Boston," one kid said.

"What time…I have to work from 11 to 4," another stated. Then the wind changed. "Whoa…Do you smell that?" the third one said. Then a much older and mature voice answered.

"Keep your voices down…" he said, and I sat down to make myself left conspicuous. I kept my head towards the water, and pet Turbo while my eyes went over to the group and my ears perked up to pick up their voices.

"What is that, Harlin?" the first one asked.

"Keep you voice DOWN!" Harlin whispered harshly. "That, you hollow skulled idiot, is the smell of a vampire," he said. The other three kind of gasped. "It's weak though, so its probably not here anymore," he explained, breathing in the air deeply. One of the kids shoved the other.

"Ha, you got freaked out!" he taunted.

"Shut up, Jack, you were too!" They continued taunting each other and got Turbo's attention. He turned and started barking…then they looked at me. I tried not to look, and I tried to pull Turbo back into a laying position but he would not listen. And now, they were coming over here. I zipped up my hoodie and pulled my hair back so they wouldn't be able to smell me.

"Sorry, guys…he gets excited easily," I said, trying to pull Turbo away.

"Its ok," Harlin said, patting Turbo on the face. Turbo was happy at first, then he started sniffing, and he smelled the wolf in them, too. He was going crazy sniffing all over their clothes, and I tried to pull him back.

"He must smell the dogs," the third one, one of two of them who had yet to be called out by anyone, said bluntly, and the others almost smiled at him, but managed to keep their laughter to themselves.

"I should be getting home," I said, yanking at Turbo's harness.

"You shouldn't be walking alone in the middle of the night, a girl got kidnapped about 4 months ago up here," Harlin said. I blushed madly -- I had gotten kidnapped a little more than three months ago. If only he knew…

"I'm fine, I have the dog -- I'm not really worried," I told him trying to back away.

"No, really, I can walk you back to your place," he said, stepping closer to me. He turned and looked at his pack with a glare that told me he was the Alpha, and they all turned around and started leaving.

"Really, it's okay, you probably have somewhere you should go back to…" I tried to reason, but his pack had already left, and he and I were the only people left on the beach. "Believe me, I can assure my own safety."

"It's okay, what's one walk home going to do to you?" he asked, smiling.

"I'm married…I'm not sure that…" I started.

"And where is your husband to walk on the beach with you?" he asked me. I frowned.

"He's…not…" I took a deep breath. "I haven't seen him in almost a month." I hung my head. He was quiet for a little while.

"Oh, sorry…I didn't mean to…Where'd he go?" he asked. I sighed, then tugged on Turbo.

"I'll tell you at my place…," I said, turning up the beach and walking. I heard him stay completely silent, then run up after me.

It was a pretty quiet walk, we said a few words, but really didn't make much conversation. We were on my street now, and Turbo was pulling me towards the house. I noticed Harlin sniffing the air.

"It smells like him, I know," I said. He looked at me for a second. "Come in, I'll explain." I walked up onto the porch and pulled out my house keys, unlocking the door. I pushed it open and unhooked Turbo in one movement and he ran through the house like he had when I first brought him home, before settling on his bed in the corner of the kitchen. "You want something? Coffee, chips…I have all of this crap that he used to like to eat, just in case," I said.

"Turbo?" Harlin asked.

"I do not feed my dog junk food. My husband…I just want to have stuff if he should come back," I explained.

"Oh," he responded. "And its not weird for you to have someone else in the house?" he asked.

"No, believe me, and this is going to sound worse than it actually is, but his friends basically never leave my family's house out in Washington," I told him. He looked confused. "I know what you are, I can smell it…"I said quickly. He gave me a look that was an awkward cross between "I'm gonna throw up" and "WHAT???". I giggled a little, then continued. "My husband is from the Quileute Tribe out in Washington State."

"So what? What is that supposed to mean, and what exactly is it that you think I am?" he asked, trying to make it like I hadn't said what I had.

"He's a werewolf," I said. He looked like he had swallowed a fly. "I'm sorry…" I said after a little while. "Maybe that was too much."

"No, no," he stopped me. "It's just, nobody outside of our pack has ever known…Our elder says some members of our tribe moved out here from Washington in the 1920's after some vampires moved into their area. We share their ancestral blood, so we shift. " I got nervous.

"Um…"

"What?" he asked.

"They're my family."

"The wolves?" he questioned.

"The others."

"What? Now I'm really screwed up here…"

"My family moved there in the 1920's…after the acquired my aunt Rosalie in New York. It was just my grandparents, my father and my aunt at the time," I told him. He scooted away a tiny bit, out of shock I guess. "The vampire you smelled on the beach earlier was probably me." I blushed again -- I was pretty nervous -- I hadn't thought this through completely.

"You're a vampire?" he asked.

"Half…They call me a half-breed. My mother was still human when I was born. She and my dad had gotten married and they were planning on changing her before she got pregnant. You know about imprinting?" I asked. He nodded and I continued. "Well, my husband was there when I was born, my mom is his best friend from childhood, and…"

"A vampire and a wolf?" he asked. I shrugged.

"You know we can't control the way it works…" I told him. I was feeling oddly comfortable having him around.

"And how old are you exactly?" he asked, like I was some kind of ancient being.

"I'm eighteen. Only. Like, in human years…after…um -- you remember talking about the girl who got kidnapped last year?"

"You are kidding me," he said.

"…that was me. And he and I got married after he came and got me from Italy," I said. It took him a while before he said anything.

"You're really a vampire?"

"Only half," I replied laughing.

"…I've never met someone who was any part vampire before."

We talked for a while about each other, family, Turbo…everything. We were like old friends. I found out the other two he was with, besides Jack, were named Riley and Max.

"What's his name?" Harlin asked, dipping a tortilla chip into salsa. I really didn't want to say it…I hadn't in a month because I was afraid of another mental breakdown.

"I don't think I can say it…hurts a lot still…but its on here," I said, pulling my little silver box from the coffee table towards me. I flipped open the lid and Harlin laughed.

"There's a lot of sparkle in that box," he remarked.

"I know…I can't wear any of it though, it bothers me," I said dumping the contents on the table. "This is my wedding ring," I said, showing him the custom band we had made in Paris. "He made me these when I was younger…they're Quileute promise bracelets. And this, it used to be a kind of "virginity necklace" thing my dad got for me…and I didn't know it, and I wore it everyday. Then my husband told me what it was for, and he had it melted down for me into this…"

"Then he left?" Harlin asked.

"Yeah…then he left," I told him. "This is where we live…well, I live but we were on vacation. We were on our honeymoon actually…we've known each other since I was born, but we decided to run away and get married, then we went to France. A few days later, I woke up in an alley and he was gone. I went home to Forks with my family -- my dad came and got me, then I had to come back here. I missed it."

"You woke up in an alley? How the hell did that happen?"

"Well, the guy who kidnapped me the first time found us, and I don't even know what happened -- all I remember is waking up alone in an alley, and trying to find my way back to our hotel. Then I called my father and he brought me home," I said. It was the first time I had recounted the story out loud. And it didn't bother me in the slightest. "You hungry?" He laughed.

"It's almost one in the morning," he told me.

"I'm sure there's something open somewhere," I said, snatching my car keys. "Turbo, you wanna go for a ride?" I shouted. He barked and ran into the room. Harlin stood. "You don't have to be anywhere tomorrow, do you?" I asked.

"Well, I was going to a baseball game with my friends, if you remember the conversation that you were eavesdropping on, but I can just text him now and tell him I can't make it," he told me, pulling out his phone, and pressing some buttons.

"Okay…where do you want to go?" I asked, grabbing a light jacket.

"Nothing in this town is open…its way too late for these townies," he said, laughing a little. "And would your husband appreciate it very much if you went out with another wolf while he was gone?"

"He deserted me…he has no say in what I do," I told him, pulling him out the door by the arm. I popped the trunk for Turbo, and started the engine with my remote. Harlin shut the door where Turbo was, and came and sat in the passenger seat.

"So how old are you, exactly? Married, living alone, 3,000 miles away from your family…" he asked when we were on the road out of Stonebay.

"I'm 18. I have been since about a week before he left. But I've been exactly like this since I was 7. Halfbreeds -- we finish growing young, then we stop, and we're basically warm blooded vampires for the rest of eternity," I told him. Then my built in Bluetooth in the car went off. "Hang on, I should probably answer that."

I pressed a few buttons on my steering wheel, then I heard a bunch of voices yelling in the background.

"Hello?" I asked.

"NESSIE!! Where are you?" Alice practically screamed.

"I'm driving to Boston," I said. "Why?"

"I can't find you! Did he come back?" she asked ecstatically. It kind of made my chest tug a little, but it ended quickly.

"No…I met wolves on the beach…their Alpha is in the car with me. We're going to get something to eat," I told her. Harlin looked like he was going to throw up again.

"Who is that?" he asked me.

"My aunt…she's a vampire," I said.

"Renesmee!" I was scolded by my father.

"Daddy, he's a wolf -- his family came from the Quileute Tribe after you and grampa and Rose invaded their space and they no longer felt safe at home," I said, a little bit like a pain in the ass.

"That was your family?" Harlin asked.

"I told you that," I said.

"I guess…its just shocking to actually hear his voice," he said.

"Well, I certainly feel better knowing you're not completely alone out there," my mother said. I guess we're on speaker phone now.

"Hey! I have Turbo!" He barked from the trunk when I said his name.

"A dog is hardly what I mean, and you know that," mom said.

"Well, Harlin's a dog too…sort of," I said. He looked at me, with one eyebrow up. "Ha, sorry."

"What are you going into Boston at one in the morning for?" my dad asked.

"We didn't eat anything, and everything in Stonebay is closed," I explained.

"Why did you bring the dog?" he asked after a couple of seconds.

"Because I don't plan on going to a 5 star restaurant. We're just going to run out and grab something somewhere -- Turbo can stay in the car," I told him.

"You're leaving a gigantic Golden Retriever in the back of your grandmother's car?" he questioned.

"Yupp…he's not destructive," I said. "And I'm sure I can fix any damage he might cause the car."

"You'd better. Alright…we just wanted to make sure you were alive. Do me a favor and call us so we don't all die again, next time you meet a werewolf and disappear from Alice's sight," he said.

"You got it, daddy," I said, then hung up. I turned to Harlin. "What do you want to eat?" I asked.

"I'm guessing you have experience with wolves," he told me.

"Ah," I replied.

"So I'll basically eat anything you put in front of me," he said.

"Okay, well there's this crazy little place -- it's called the South Street Diner," I said. "It's cute, and its old, and its all the rage with the night crowd," I told him, with a laugh.

"Sounds good," Harlin said.


End file.
